


I'll Rise with the Tide, We'll Breathe Underwater

by PaperAnn



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Aftermath of Violence, Alpha Gabriel, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Around the World Adventure, Awkward Sexual Situations, Blackouts, Drunken Confessions, Drunken Shenanigans, Established Castiel/Dean Winchester, Explicit Sexual Content, Falling In Love, Fluff and Smut, Happy Ending, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Knotting, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mentions of PTSD, Mutual Pining, Omega Sam Winchester, On A Yacth, Protective Dean Winchester, Protective Gabriel, Sabriel Big Bang 2018, Sam Winchester is a Little Shit, Sexual Tension, Shameless Smut, Slow Burn, True Mates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-05
Updated: 2018-09-05
Packaged: 2019-06-26 05:49:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 71,620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15657021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PaperAnn/pseuds/PaperAnn
Summary: It all started because of a stupid lead Sam checked without backup. That was how he found himself caged, used and shrouded by darkness inside an omega trafficking ring. The torture continued for months, until Dean finally unearthed the operation and saved them. While Sam sought justice in court for all the victims, he unwittingly became a media sensation.Sam wants to fade into the background. Being buried alive puts life in perspective. His dream of traveling seems impossible, so he gets creative. He's got the cash from a massive settlement.Sam realizes he doesn’t have to ‘fly’ under the radar, maybe he could ‘ship off—raise anchor?’Dean’s terrified of Sam disappearing again. He and his mate, Cas, decide to plant a Novak brother in Sam’s path secretly: as a hired bodyguard.It works, Sam and Gabriel set sail, Gabriel acting as a guide, captain and (covert) watchman…butcomplicationsarise. Complications, in the way that Sam learns to trust again and begins falling in love. Complications, in the way that all of Sam's PTSD medications compromise his nose, because Gabriel is fucking positive: they’re true mates.A normal around-the-world cruise would be too much to ask for, of course.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> My wonderful artist shout-out goes to [krisn5](https://krisn5.tumblr.com), who chose my fic this year! Click the link to check out more art and send lots of love :D
> 
> Millions of cuddles and love and beta thanks to [my Fishie!](http://whataboutthefish.tumblr.com/) Always the most positive and supportive person in my life who was also my muse and got the wheels turning for the entire concept behind this fic! Love you, babe! <3
> 
>  **Fic Notes** : In this fic, we've got some hot topics like implied/referenced non-con, and let me assure you it's _only_ in past tense and there are no actual non-con scenes. The fic takes place in the aftermath, the extent is what you can read in the summary. Also, like you've read in the summary, there are episodes of PTSD and mental health discussions. None of these 'flashbacks' or attacks will be expanded upon.
> 
> I'm not a graphic rape/non-con gal when it comes to writing topics. I honestly like to think that it's been done minimally and tactfully, so if you have any reservations: feel free to drop me a comment with questions or give it a shot.
> 
>  **Ann's Notes:** Here! Have a nice, long fic! This was written for the Sabriel Big Bang 2018 :)
> 
> Short and sweet A/N, now, please enjoy! xoxo

**  
**  
The news coverage was something Sam Winchester hadn’t been expecting.  Neither was the length of the trial.

He’d hoped (prayed) that it would be swiftly executed and dealt with discreetly.  What actually happened couldn’t have been further from that.  He never wanted any of this.

It was a media madhouse.  
  
Sam wasn’t sure if it was because of the nature of the crime, the status of the defendants, or maybe his own (as his brother called it) “camera-ready” face.  Regardless, he was followed around relentlessly with microphones shoved in his face, flashbulbs blinding him as he left the courthouse, and shouted questions that he _just couldn’t deal with_.

After months of silence and enslavement, Sam had gotten so used to the sound of nothing but his own screaming; it made the chatter and bustle of others too fucking loud.  The size of the crowd he drew was a deafening uproar, more than enough to stun him.

After every court date Sam would run back to Dean.  Sam had long since been evicted from his own home—how could he pay the bills when he was fucking kidnapped?

What had begun as a lead, as a potential undercover job (that he’d eventually run by Dean once he scouted the location), went south faster than he could blink.

Not many people could get the jump on him, but a damn tranquilizer dart had done the trick.

Yeah.  Sam would say he went undercover—deep undercover—because he’d fallen prey to an underground omega trafficking ring.

Quite literally—underground.

The only sunlight he’d see during those months were slices from across the room when one of his captors was coming down the ladder.  Only then, it was a brief gleam.  Most of the visits happened at night, and the fixtures down there were purposefully dimmed.

Sam didn’t know how many cells there were.  He guessed by counting the pleading and crying voices after a short while, picking apart the different timbres and pitches in the sobs.  That was, until they deemed Sam too unruly of an omega.  And he was sent to ‘solitary.’  
  
He almost lost his goddamn mind there.

It was like a coffin: there was barely enough room to lay down and for one other person to...join him.  The smell of stale earth and dirt was embedded in his nostrils and it was pitch black.  At least the cellblock where the other omegas were had a small light in the room.  Sam’s misbehavior, the fight in him, was slowly draining—if only to play along.  The problem was...he was convincing himself, too.

God, it was torture.

The fucking dart gun seemed to be their weapon of choice when dealing with him, sticking him with sedatives when clients wanted to 'experience dominating a wild omega.'  Sam was merely a commodity for his size, he knew he’d never be sold off as a slave like the other ones they managed to break.  Luckily, the drugs were so strong, Sam barely remembered any of it in the haze.

The cell, though.  That was what haunted him.  Sam remembered every second of it.    
  
The fear of being buried underground, forgotten, and overlooked...even if a rescue team was sent in.

Sam had no idea where he was.  When they transported him to solitary, he was unconscious, so who knew how well-hidden his location was?  If he was remotely close to the other omegas, if he was at an obscure part of the property, hell—was he even still _on_ the property?

That’s why, when the joint was finally raided after months of torture, when he heard the rumble of gunshots above—Sam screamed himself hoarse.    
  
He screamed until his lungs gave out, until he didn’t have a voice anymore—

Seeing Dean practically ripping the door off the hinges to get to him?  It was this beautiful moment he’d never forget.  Sam crumbled into his brother’s arms, desperately scenting him—he _had_ to make sure he was real—  
  
Sam was terrified that he was imagining it.  That he’d _finally_ lost his goddamn mind.  But his nose couldn’t lie.    
  
The scent overwhelming him was a mixture of utter relief and blind rage and that was absolutely and unequivocally _Dean_.

When they busted the omega trafficking ring, Sam had turned the tables on those who created the horror show.  He knew that not only he, but every individual omega in those cages, would be scarred.  They’d need therapy for life.  Some of them were probably plucked off the streets, they had no place to go.  These people...after enduring that nightmare, they didn’t deserve to be thrown out like garbage again, fuck no.

The decision Sam made was to go after a group of billionaires who had ties to the sex trade.  The clients, the regulars, those who thought omegas amounted to nothing besides objects meant for their disgusting sexual fantasies.  Things to buy when they were too broken to run, to say no.  
  
Before Sam had been taken, catching them had been his original mission.  Now, he had another mission.  And he’d memorized all their faces while plotting revenge if he made it out alive.  Unfortunately for them, he had survived—Sam’s revenge was only beginning.

That’s where the media circus came in.   
  
While Sam was the face of the omegas, those too scared to represent themselves in court, he wasn’t simply out to help the Feds go after sexual assault, slave trades, human trafficking, and a slew of other offences.  Of course, with all the evidence stacked up, these assholes would never see the outside of a jail cell again, a picturesque kind of karma.  
  
No, Sam was making his _own_ case.  Suing on behalf of all the omegas involved, a monetary settlement, for physical and emotional damage.  For people made of money, all those billionaires, _that’s_ where it hurt.

Sam wasn’t taking no for an answer.  He was going to rip away every goddamn penny.  Bleed their bank accounts dry.

The number of charges piled up, the trial carried on for what felt like forever, and in that time—Sam got the help he needed.

While he lived with his brother and his brother’s mate, he saw a psychiatrist every day for the first month, then every other for the next, then twice a week following.

Sam had been furious that his muscles had started to atrophy because of that tiny fucking box.  He’d always taken care of his body, prided himself on it, and led a lifestyle that kept him in peak physical shape.  Even as an omega advocate, he didn’t mind people mistaking him for an alpha.  Breaking stereotypes was part of the gig.  

The process was...long.  Trying.  Even though talk-therapy was welcomed, physical therapy angered him.  He had to finish countless sessions on basic movement before he could even think about the gym!

By that point, his freedom and a date with a treadmill with gone: everyone knew his face.  It was impossible to leave the house without whispers surrounding him.  The whispers, they kept getting louder until he lost all personal space and people wouldn't hesitate to ask questions.  Soon, came the cameras.  They wouldn't go away, _wouldn't leave_ and—  
  
Sam faced the music.  He knew he’d have to be a shut-in for a damn long time, if not the rest of his goddamn life because of the trial.

Still…he had to remember he was doing it for the right reasons.  The other omegas couldn’t, he was their voice.

Finally, when the verdict came back, the five ringleaders they pinned the slave trade to received life sentences.  All the clients were found guilt as well.  Each of the omegas were granted settlements that cleaned the motherfuckers pockets out, just as Sam demanded.  They were upwards of millions of dollars richer.  Yes, individually.

Shit, it couldn’t have worked out better.  It was good day for both the victims and the Feds who busted the joint.

Sam’s happiness didn’t last long though, after the giddiness of the news faded, he asked himself: what now?

He’d been crashing on Dean and Cas’ couch while the trial went on, when he had to be in the courtroom day after day.  Once they received the verdict and the media was everywhere, bombarding Sam and waiting on the front lawn, they’d taken a quick ‘vacation.’  
  
The three, for Sam’s benefit, had to get away from the insanity in California.  Luckily, they’d kept the Winchester home back in Kansas because of sentimental reasons.  They never had the heart to sell the house, and even though their parents were gone, they still had family there.  On holidays, instead of finding a hotel or staying with a relative, they’d go back to their childhood home.  
  
It had only been three years since their mom passed, and yeah, one day they may get around to it, but for now it stayed in the family.  Even better, it could serve as a safe house.  There was a time last year that Dean and Cas had used it for that same reason because of a drug lord that evaded capture and Dean was number one on his revenge list.  
  
The rest of the task force had ordered him into witness protection until the fugitive was caught, and Dean informed them he had his own witness protection.    
  
Yeah, both Sam and Dean knew how to get themselves into trouble.  
  
Now though, the longer they were in Kansas, the longer Sam felt guilty.

He couldn’t impose on the couple forever, because it wasn’t as easy as telling them it was okay to go back to California.  They wouldn’t leave Sam, not this soon after what happened, they’d need to be close in case he had an episode.  No way in hell Dean would take off, he'd need to be a drive away.    
  
While Sam understood (he wasn’t ignorant, he _was_ still putting the pieces back together, he’d admit it), he also needed to let them have their life back.  
  
Sam was a constant obstacle that cramped their alone time.  They were mates who couldn’t act like mates, Sam knew it, and he hated it.  He felt so much worse as time stretched on, no matter how ‘all right’ both Cas and Dean made it seem—like right now, as they hung out in the living room, watching TV.

Dean joined him on the couch with a plate of hot nachos and a massive smile, asking, “So how does it feel to be a millionaire, Sammy?  Whatcha gonna do with all that green?” the news still hot-off-the-press.

Sam laughed and scooped a large helping of toppings on a tortilla chip.  “I don’t know, to be honest.  All I could focus on was making sure they got what they deserved.  I had tunnel vision.  Never thought about what came next, you know?”

“Mm, but what about what you deserve?  ‘Cause it’s a lot.”  Dean leaned back on the couch and let Sam take control of the snack.  He kept watching Sam with a kind of awe that made the omega uncomfortable.  “You kicked ass.  In so many ways.  I know you don’t wanna hear it, but I’m proud of you.  You didn’t just save all those omegas, they’re gonna have a fighting chance at life because of you.”

Scooting around, Dean hummed and wondered, “If you could do anything?  Anything!  What would it be?”

Sam still fought against the image of the darkness.  In his dreams, the small tomb closed in on him like quicksand, the pitch-black was all he knew.  Each day, he had to pretend he wasn’t in there, because even his open eyes looked like the back of his eyelids.  The places he imagined—

Suddenly, Sam decided, “I wanna see the world,” surprising himself he’d said it aloud.  
  
It was something he’d imagined, something he’d tried to picture in the darkness, and bargained with himself.  As a reward for living.  Except...at a certain point, that idea had completely died.  Sam shut it down because he'd lost hope.

“Huh.”  Dean reached out and gripped Sam’s shoulder, “You’ve got the money.  You know you can do that, right?”

“Easier said than done,” he groaned out ruefully, handing the nachos back over to Dean.  “With the goddamn paparazzi?  I can’t even go to the grocery store without someone taking a picture.  No way I'll fly under the radar at an airport.  Even first class has gossips.”

Dean unfortunately agreed.  “ _Especially_ first class, they just love that shit.  There‘s gotta be a way...maybe a private jet?”

Except Sam didn’t entertain that idea, because now the wheels were turning.  He had a direction for the first time in a long time, and he’d thought of something better.  Something even less confining.

Even though flying was the nature of the traveling beast, you were still crammed in like sardines.  Who knew if the close-quarters would trigger Sam into having an anxiety attack.  Especially if it was a long overnight flight.  He now had triggers to worry about, new problems to consider, his life was far from normal and it would _never_ be normal again.  There was a much better, open-air option, and he grinned widely at the thought.

“Woah,” Dean said around a mouthful of food.  “What’s with the evil genius look?”

“I figured out something that could work.  Maybe instead of jetting away, I can ‘raise anchor’…” Sam played with the words, which only made his brother more confused.

The alpha’s face was fixed into a frown, wondering, “What the hell is that supposed to mean, dude?”

“What about instead of this whole flying idea, I sail?”  Sam was giddy with excitement, feeling a happiness he hadn’t experienced in so long—it felt foreign.  New again.  “I’d be able to experience every second of it, enjoy the ocean, the ports, head inland for as long as I wanted to.  But more than anything, I wouldn’t have to be around anyone!  It would only be me and I guess whoever I hire to take me.  On _my_ terms.”

With a shrug, he went on to (dare he say giddily—?) explain, “In other countries, they won’t recognize me.  They won’t care about who I am.  I’ll be another tourist.  Another dumb American.  Or if it happened to reach that far, I can wear a disguise.  But how awesome would that be?”

It was like Dean’s responses were delayed, a second behind real-time as he smiled and nodded.  “Yeah…! Totally awesome!”

Sam eyed his brother with suspicion.  “What?  What’s your problem in all this?”

“I…it’s nothing,” he waved a dismissive hand.

“Come on.  It’s not nothing.  You’ll be bitching about it sooner or later,” Sam pressed on, knowing if Dean didn’t spit it out now it would brew, build and possibly explode.

“It’s me being a big brother!  I lost you, Sammy, and it scared the shit out of me because I thought you were gone for good.  Sure, I love the idea of you traveling the world, but airports are safe, secure, with cameras!  Being on a damn boat, in the middle of the ocean?  How—”

“Can you keep track of me?  Babysit me?” Sam raised an eyebrow in challenge.  “I don’t know, Dean.  Maybe that’s part of the point.  Freedom.  I’m giving you yours, God knows I’ve been imposing on you and Cas for too long.  I made you take a leave and run away to Kansas!  Now you can give me mine.  I’m a big boy.  I’ve handled the worst of the worst.”

With his head hung, Dean grumbled something under his breath that Sam didn’t quite catch, then raised his voice to say, “Promise you’ll check in?  You,” he cleared his throat, “you know we were both in bad shape.  I _need_ to know you’re okay.  Or else I’ll go insane.  I...I _can’t_ lose you again.”

“Yeah,” Sam’s voice softened, Dean’s scent and words raw, uncensored.  “I promise, I’ll check in.  And it’s not like I’m taking off today.  I still gotta find a ship with a captain or skipper or whatever you call them.  See how much cash it’ll take for them to be my guide.  Plus, I gotta click with them.  It may take a while to find what I’m looking for.  I’m not ditching out on you yet.”

With a warm grin, the alpha nodded.  “Better not, bitch.”  He shoved the nachos forward, “Hey, finish those.  I’ll be in our room if you need me.  Or _us_.  Whatever!”  Dean chuckled and added, “Since you’re a huge cock block, don’t be afraid to holler, no one will be naked.”

“Ah, sorry about that.  That’s part of the reason I wanna get out of your hair!” Sam pitched his voice to Dean’s retreating back, and said, “G’night, jerk!”

Sam finally had caught a glimpse of light again.  This renewed idea of traveling without bounds, it gave Sam something to look forward to, when the only thing propelling him forward before was the trial and the verdict.  When that wrapped up and without fuel—without a purpose—Sam worried he was headed straight off a cliff.  
  
Until now, he was stuck in a loop of going through the motions of everyday life.  Aimless, detached, grieving the loss of his old life; yet, faking happiness.  Destined to crash.  
  
This was...extraordinary.  Especially the concept of the sailing, or cruising, or yachting—whatever struck Sam’s fancy when he made the trip and went to the closest marina to investigate.

Having a course gave him a sense of purpose, a flash of his previous ambition.

That was something he’d been striving for in therapy, finding the Sam Winchester he had lost beneath the soil, the one who had been beaten out of him in that damn cage.    
  
Sam felt like he may just have line, have a grasp on him—to reach him.  Dammit, this was progress!  The first, real, honest progress he’d made.

He wouldn’t let himself down.

\----------------------------

When Dean shut the door, the first thing Castiel noticed about his mate was his wild eyes.  

So much so, that he set down the book cradled in his palms and asked hesitatingly, “Dean, what’s wrong?”

“Red Alert!” he hissed, crawling on top of the covers towards Cas until they were practically nose to nose.  He crossed his legs, grabbed his mate’s hand and rattled off, “Sam wants to go explore the world!  Cool!  But not by plane, by fuckin’ _boat_!  What the fuck?!  Port cities are ground zero for theft, assault, and they’re friggin _omega trafficking_ areas!  I can't do this again!  How do I even know the ass-hat _captain_ won’t be a threat?!  Out in the middle of the ocean, no one to call for help, Sam would be the perfect damn target!  I—”

“Breathe,” Cas ordered and brought their joined hands upward to kiss the alpha’s knuckles.  “I understand your concerns.  Yes, port cities aren’t wonderful places for omegas but what if…”

When Castiel bit his lip, Dean could see the wheels turning.  And those wheels always led to something genius, so Dean tried not to vibrate with anticipation and rush his mate.  Although, Dean did steal a kiss, because Cas’ plush lips were just that—too damn kissable.

“The best scenario is having somewhat of a bodyguard.  Someone to watch Sam, make sure nothing happens to him.  We both know—”

“Sam would never, ever agree to that,” Dean finished and collapsed, his forehead on Cas’ shoulder.

“That’s why we plant someone in Sam’s path…” he said slowly, causing Dean’s brow to furrow.

He had to make sure he understood this correctly.  “ _Waitaminute_.  You mean vet our own guy?  Throw him in the marina and just _hope_ that Sam—who’s waving 'round mad cash that everyone is gonna flock to—happens to chose  _him_ , out of _everyone_ there, to be his travel buddy?  Do we even know anyone with a ship?  Anyone who knows how to, uh, steer one?   _Plus_  anyone who Sam would want to be with twenty-four-seven for God knows _how_ long?  This is impossible, Cas!”

“I assure you, it’s not.  I may have an ace we can play,” he said elusively, Dean’s spine now jolting straight up to look his mate in the eyes.

He warned quietly, “You better not be fucking with me.”

“I promise you, I’m not.  After all, I do miss the fucking.  The sooner Sam sets off on his journey, the sooner we can get back to it,” Castiel said with a glint in his eye.

“Dammit, Cas,” Dean whimpered because—yeah, he was insanely sexually frustrated—Cas just saying the word was enough to turn him on!  “Who’s our ace?”

Castiel replied simply, “My brother.”

“You have a brother?” Dean asked dumbly and tilted his head.

“Exactly.  That’s the point I’m trying to make, no one knows about him, he’s family, and I can vouch for him: he’s safe.  While he’s an alpha, he’s not particularly intimidating until he wants to be.  Then he’s a formidable force.  Gabriel is a jack of all trades, and he did have a stint in the Marines, so I’m sure he knows his way around water travel.”  Castiel paused before saying, “He can be charming, I suppose.  Mostly, he’s infuriating, but if offered a job—he’ll take it and pull it off with ease. Oh, he’s a very good chef, as well.”

“Wow.  Just…wow.”  He shook his head in disbelief, “Do you think that he’d go for it?  If we asked him?”

“Well,” Castiel reached for his phone, “it’s now or never,” and began typing up a text.  “I’ll have him call us and we can give him details.  He’ll, no doubt, be interested in the money Sam's offering.  But we can also pay him a lump sum for protection detail,” Cas suggested, “I doubt he’d be able to turn it down.”

“You mean he wouldn’t just do it because you’re family?” Dean's confusion was evident.

“Hah,” he scoffed and rolled his eyes, “You don’t know Gabriel.  He’s not driven by blood, he’s driven by the carrot.  Luckily, we’ve got one or two.”

“Shit, if this works out and you guys save the day?” Dean’s smile was huge and he clucked his tongue, “Second Sam’s off on his adventure, I’m gonna let you have your way with me all night.”

“As if you don’t bend to my whims any other night,” Cas countered, grin wicked.  “But yes, I do hope this pans out.  It’ll work in all of our favors.”

\------------------------------

It was less than a week later that Sam made the drive down to the closest marina.  Which meant heading to the closest ocean.  Which was the Gulf of Mexico.  All his research told him that Galveston was the best launch point to look for ships headed to sea, and he needed a variety to choose from, so he took off.  And, damn, was it a long drive.

Sam waited for the last of three resident reporters to clear off the lawn, Dean had made a statement she needed to take a hike, or he was going to break out the ‘unsexy’ handcuffs.  This trio was just that: three lone individuals, low on the local news foodchain who had been staking out the house.  They’d seen Dean and Cas there and made the connection Sam would be there, too.  
  
Except, Sam was careful—he never went out, he stayed away from windows, and it appeared to work.  If they’d truly spotted him?  National and syndicated news would’ve been surrounding the house, along with a goddamn helicopter overhead, on the look-out for sightings.  No, these reporters were banking on luck.  They had no clue they were right on the money...  
  
Personally, Sam wished Dean had made threats sooner, he could have messed up and blown their cover.  But it worked, both Winchesters had a feeling they’d never come back.

While he was glad they were back in Kansas for the time being, it was always supposed to be temporary.  That time-frame was in Sam's hands.  
  
They all had lives in California.  They were breathing, regaining a sense of security and family, but Dean and Cas could only work from home for so long.  Vacationing at a safehouse wasn’t truly a vacation—was it?    
  
Although it was a lengthy drive to the coast, Kansas actually worked out in Sam’s favor when it came to his sought-after dream.  It would have been much worse if they’d been starting out at sea on the west side.

Having to take all that time to travel south to the Panama Canal if only to get to this point, on the east side of the states?  While it wouldn’t bother Sam who had all the time in the world, he hardly figured the trip would be worth it for any captain he tried to convince to go on this ridiculous journey with him.

But he could always bribe him or her, Sam supposed…

Not worrying about money was kind of surreal.  
  
Due to his shut-in life, thinking of the hefty sum of his settlement hadn’t come up until now.  All the things he could accomplish (now that price was no object) made for a baffling change of pace.

In the past, Sam would have trekked a mile down a road for free parking, and now he could practically leave his car right on the docks, doling out the cash without batting an eye.

He had sunglasses and a hat on, hoping that he wouldn’t be recognized.  At least not right away.  Sam wanted to have actual conversations with people, not the slack-jawed, starstruck garbage that happened once they figured out who he was.  It was like putting together the pieces of Sam’s identity caused brain damage.

The past week, Sam had done nothing but research on ships.

How far they could travel, how fast, hell, which were best for the environment.  More than anything, when he came down here today he knew he was searching for a team.  Everything Sam read came down to the relationship between the boat and her owner.  A boat could travel as far as the captain was up to, so Sam needed someone who was willing to dive in on his adventure with him.

As he walked the length of the docks, most everyone ignored him, even glared at him for being in their way.

Sam noticed the surplus of fishing vessels and soon wandered down to where the yachts were.  He figured this was his best bet.

God, the were practically glowing in the sun and Sam could smell the money steaming off of them, continuing his walk.  Some were so pristine, he wondered if they’d even ever been taken out onto the ocean, or if they merely sat on the docks as someone’s trophy.  One appearing updated _and_ well-loved caught Sam's eye, before he heard the noise.  It was a couple bickering back and forth, deciding if they were going to sea that day.

Owners were scarce, and he sure didn’t want to sail off with the feuding couple—

“You look like a man on a mission!”

The voice called from behind Sam, and he turned around and craned his neck up to see a man grinning down at him from the deck of a yacht.

“Yeah.  Actually, I am,” he said with a smile, then called back, “You got a minute to chat?” figuring he had to start somewhere.

“For you?  I’ve got many minutes!” the man shamelessly flirted and disappeared back inside the vessel to climb down and meet Sam on the dock.

It was then that Sam actually took a look at this particularly ship.  He wasn’t sure how he’d skimmed over her before, because she had character.  Sure, it was another expensive, luxury yacht, but the slimmer and sleek build created the illusion of a sports vessel.  ...A three-level sports vessel.  Because of that, both the front deck and the back were long and extended, which meant lots of room to move about, and the height was surprising, too.

Sam had done his research, this boat actually looked like it could accommodate him when many wouldn’t dream of housing his height.  There was unending space on the upper deck and the swimming deck, so much of the yacht was glass panels—the way the sunlight drenched and easily moved through the ship drew Sam in deep and deeper.    
  
Light: it made all the difference.  So many of these ships were built like fortresses, to keep the world out.    
  
This one, while extravagant and likely private below deck, allowed one to look out into the world, see and meld with the ocean, bask in the sun.  There was no way of feeling trapped, it was so open, vast—

The man hopped off the swimming deck and gracefully landed down on the docks, brushing his hand off and extended it.  “Name’s Gabriel.  Tell me all about this little chat.”

“Sam,” he returned, thrilled that now they were face to face, the man hadn’t seemed to recognize him.  Yet.  “Do you do rentals, Gabriel?”

He looked intrigued and asked curiously, “Like for parties?  You throwing together a real rager and need a host?”  Gabriel patted his boat and said, “Gotta admit, I don’t like the idea of my girl getting coated in vomit when people can’t hold their liquor or their sea legs.  You treat ‘em right, they treat you right—”

“Oh, no, no!” Sam interjected as quickly as he could, “Not a party!  I totally understand about respect, I’m all about it, too!  I was talking about a trip.  Just me.  I need a ride and a guide.  Money is no issue.  I‘ll pay for your time, gas, food, anything that comes up.  I promise, it‘ll be worth your while.”

“Huh,” Gabriel tilted his head in thought.  “Well.  This is _quite_ the interesting proposal, and I do like interesting.  Although, you left yourself wide open, I’ll hold back on the dirty jokes,” he tsk’ed and offered, “Wanna come see the beautiful Amphitrite, goddess of the sea?”

"She is beautiful," Sam lit up and nodded enthusiastically, “I’d love to!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Around round of thanks to [Fish](whataboutthefish.tumblr.com) for her creative skills in making the banner too <3


	2. Chapter One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Random Note** : When writing/putting this fic together, I ended the chapters where I felt they were complete. _That said_ : alllll the lengths are a free-for-all. I've got a bunch that round off around 4k, then again I have one or two chapters that are between 8-9k. 
> 
> Since this is a Big Bang (translation: a long!fic) and you're pacing yourself, just know that I attempted to create mini-conclusions with every extra-long chapter. Or a cliffhanger will probably be followed a shorter, easy-read. You'll understand once you've gotten through a couple parts ;)
> 
> I hope (since you've passed the prologue) that you're in it for the long haul and continue on! xoxo

Sam wasn’t sure why delivering the news was so difficult, it was supposed to be _good_ news.  Except over dinner he froze up each time he tried to tell his brother.  The meal was forced, he felt so awkward, because he knew Dean didn’t want to see him go.  Sam knew it was gonna hurt him, and that was the last thing that he wanted to do.

But Sam needed to do this for himself.

Castiel was the one who eventually said, “Sam.  You’ve been quiet.  Dean told me you made the trip out to the coast.  Did you discover anything feasible while you were there?”

“Actually…”  Sam stalled by drinking his beer, then toyed with the napkin.  Soon, his eyes were focused on his fork stabbing the ham, before he knew he had to say something!  “I found what I was looking for.  And, well…who.  He’s began stocking, getting everything in order, and then we’ll be headed out later in the week.”

Dean caught Sam off guard when he demanded, “What’s his name?”

He was so confused by the question, he actually recoiled and said, “Gabriel.  But I’m _not_ giving you his friggin last name, address, and social security number.  Remember, this is me and my freedom, Dean.  Just let me have it.”  There was also the fact that Sam didn’t know any of the information to give, but that was irrelevant!

“Okay, you’re right…” Dean sighed heavily, and Sam _couldn’t_ believe his brother was giving in like that.  No way it'd be that easy…there had to be a catch— “But remember, you promised to check in!  And I damn well mean it!  Can you at least tell me about this guy?  The ship?  No stalking material, just stuff so I know we can trust him…”  And there was the other shoe dropping.

Sam supposed it was fair, his argument mild, since Dean hadn’t met the guy for himself.  He had to give the overprotective alpha the next best thing.

Sam started with the safe material: “The ship’s top of the line.  It’s gorgeous, I took pictures on my phone, I can show you.  He’s really got a strong bond with her, like you and the Impala.  I think that’s important.  It’s really roomy, the dining room can fit up to ten people alone!  We won’t be living on top of each other, hell, there’s ways to avoid seeing each other completely if we don’t want to.  But the best part?”  His smile was radiant as he described, “He wanted to give me the stateroom, but I had to have the crew quarter.  It has a skylight!  No matter what, I can open my eyes and see the sun, see the moon and the stars…he didn’t understand why I wanted that room because it‘s smaller, but he doesn’t get it like you guys do.  It’s _amazing_.”

Both Cas and Dean shared a look showing they were happy for Sam, and their scents told him the exact same thing.

Now for the more difficult part…

“Gabriel is looking forward to an adventure.  He’s really outgoing and…outspoken.  The best thing is, when I offered him the job and I told him about just needing a boat and a guide, then mentioned the pay, he said he could do it all.  Hell, for the money I’m paying him, he wants to cook, he’ll take care of cleaning—that’s mostly because he doesn’t want me fucking up his baby—but this is turning into an all-inclusive kind of adventure.”

Dean grumbled, “Doesn’t tell me much about the dude, Sammy,” and Cas pointedly told his mate, “Let him get to that in his own time.”

So what, yeah, Dean had a point!  But…what could he really say about Gabriel?

That he was attractive?  That his quick wit and the way he didn’t treat Sam like an inferior omega was absolutely refreshing?  That his borderline dirty jokes never pushed too far for Sam to be uncomfortable, but almost made him blush?  That he was looking forward to spending time with him out on the open sea?  That there was this draw already Sam couldn’t really explain?  And…getting to know more about him too?

“Well,” Sam drew out the word and finally stopped mindlessly playing with his food.  “He’s an alpha.  I didn’t know until the time I was leaving, which really surprised me, because I’m still a little trigger shy around alphas and alpha scents.  He…didn’t intimidate me.  Which is kind of shocking.  I don’t know if he knows who I am or not, but he’s not making a big deal out of it.  Gabriel kind of goes with the flow, and has a fun time doing it, I guess.”

“Huh.”  His brother looked perplexed, but more satisfied with the news, and Castiel seemed completely content.

Castiel always seemed content—he knew Sam could look out for himself, and never treated him any other way.  That’s what he appreciated about Dean’s mate, he’d liked it about him since the second they began courting.

“Make sure you pack everything you need.  You’re gonna be out at sea, can’t exactly drop by a Walmart if you forget something,” Dean said as he stood up and began collecting the dirty dishes.  “I can help make a list with you.  Second pair of eyes never hurts!”

Sam quickly confirmed, “I’d like that.  Thank you, Dean.”

“Nah, don’t worry about it.  Gotta make sure you’re prepared for yer pirate life.”

Sam chuckled and didn’t even correct him, he was counting down the days and couldn’t wait to step aboard the Amphitrite and set sail.

\---------------------------------

Time both flew by and slowed simultaneously.

Sam had made shopping lists for both Dean and Cas, because he wasn’t about to head into public.  The random reporters were erratic, perhaps waiting them out, wondering if Sam would visit or magically appear.  There was no rhyme or reason for the times they just sat on the front curb, staking out the scene with a bag of fast food for the whole damn day.    
  
God, this stupid case…even though it had been resolved, finished, signed-sealed-delivered, they still wanted comments from him.  They still wanted pictures, they still treated him like the Lochness Monster, they still wanted to fuck up his life!

The entire time, Sam had been gathering his belongings and saying goodbye to those who were willing to swing by the house.  He’d felt like a prisoner all over again.

Except, the cell was a home that scented like family.

That was the thing—while it scented like family and he felt safe with Dean and Cas, he was acutely aware (more and more by the day) the pair was their own intimate family.  One they’d created themselves, a bond forged between them, when they mated.  
  
While Sam was always welcomed, he noticed that their scent had begun to seep into the walls of their Kansas hideaway.  Just as it had back in their Los Angeles home—which _was_ theirs.  Dean and Cas’ mated bond was strong, it was so strong that _any_ empty house could be turned into theirs.  But _…_  
  
The hard part, the part that _sucked_ , was normally another person would be able to block that from happening.  Sam was at such a low part in his life, his scent hadn’t registered, it hadn’t been strong or willful enough to make an impression—even though he was here more than either Dean or Cas.  
  
That was a punch to the gut.  And it gave him more fuel.

He needed to go find something for himself.  Fuck, he need to _find himself._  That was something he’d lost underground.

These were the first steps.

Sam had made plans with Gabriel to see each other once more before they shipped off.  They were meeting halfway, in Oklahoma, mapping out their agenda once they hit the ocean, so the alpha could plan the course.  Apparently, the captain didn’t have a cell phone, he only used the ship’s radio.  Sam could understand.  Almost.

He supposed an iPhone wasn’t high priority, and there weren’t cell towers over the Atlantic.  Plus, it would be pricey, always needing an international plan, and Gabriel didn’t strike him as the kind of guy who texts and steers…

Damn, Sam was actually grinning thinking about the alpha…he was giddy and so ready to take off.  Everything was becoming real, and maybe ‘everything’ included Sam, too.

\-------------------

“Woah, Sammy!” Dean was baffled when his brother slid into the front seat of the Impala, because Sam was on this…whole other level.  “Are you drunk?”

He’d just taken Sam to meet up with Gabriel and chit-chat about the arrangements.  Of course, he was in a disguise, but the loon jumping into his car was _still_ his little brother.  The pair had gone to a dive of a bar to meet up and avoid the cameras—do this thing really incognito.  

Sure, all was good and well, but Sam was beaming.  Was he really this eager to ditch them?

Great.  Now Dean was moping at the thought.  He set his jaw and turned back onto the main road to search for the expressway.  During their dinner or whatever, he’d made himself scarce and given them privacy in the middle of bumfuck nowhere Oklahoma, hoping everything worked out.  Except, it looked like it was working out too damn good, and—

“What?” Sam snapped with a bitchface and whipped his sunglasses off, “No!  I didn’t drink anything!  What’s your problem?”

“So it went _that_ awesome, huh?”  He tried to keep the spite and bitterness out of his voice, he really did.

With a snort, Sam commented, “I’m shocked you didn’t come in and demand an introduction.  Really, I am.”

Oh.  Shit.  Dean should have done that, shouldn’t he?  Crap, was he dropping the ball?  Sam couldn’t know that he and Cas had planted Gabriel.  That needed to remain top-secret, he _couldn’t_ blow this, not before they even took off!

“I really, really thought about it,” Dean kept his voice steady, lying through his teeth.  “Then I remembered yer right hook.  Not to mention there are always couple’a shutterbugs in the bushes who know my mug no matter where we are.  They’re thinking they’ll get to you through me.  If there’s smoke there’s fire, right?  Don’t want to give up you and your master plan, googling this Gabriel dude.”

“You’re right, thanks, Dean.”  Sam was all smiles and he patted him on the back.  “Seriously.  I couldn’t do this without you.  I—”

He waved abruptly to knock this shit off.  “Stop with the sappy, yesh!  Now, will you tell me if this is a go?  If you’re getting yer Dream Cruise, or what?”

“Yeah.  Two days.  Crazy, right?”  God, he sounded all…whimsical.  Like a dreamy-teen, about-to-go-to-prom.

If prom was the ocean, where sharks and shit could eat you alive.  Or storms could capsize the boat and suck you under, or you could hit an iceberg and it’d be Titanic all over again… Speaking of…

“Just don’t let him paint you like one of his French girls.  I know, it’ll be hard not to role-play, but—!”  This time, Dean was cut off with a stinging punch in the shoulder.  “Ow!  Bitch!”

Chuckling and shaking his head, Sam said, “You totally deserved that.  Titanic, really?”

“Hey, I haven’t seen this vessel!  Just know you said it’s fuckin’ huge, ten mill, he must be overcompensating for something,” he grumbled, and merged onto the turnpike, just wanting to get back home.  Although he admitted, “You really do sound stoked about this.  And that makes me stoked.  Nervous?  Fuck yes.  But…I know you’re a big boy.  And me and Cas, we’re really excited for you.”

“That means a lot, Dean.  I don’t know if I’ll be able to check in with you as much as I said, I talked to Gabriel about it.  He said communication is a little touch and go.  But I’ll make sure whenever I have the chance, I will, okay?”  Sam was so earnest, and this fun little fact was something Dean already knew.

Because he’d _also_ heard it from Gabriel.  
  
At least he knew he was getting the truth from Sam.

“You’re good, dude.  Remember, you’re not doing this for us, it’s for you.  Don’t get let me hold you back from the time of your life.”  When Dean said those words, he actually meant them—surprising even himself…huh.  “Let’s have a big dinner for you tomorrow, and then we’ll chill and relax until you take off for the marina?”

“That’s perfect.  It’s so damn perfect.”

Dean tapped the wheel and stole a glance over to see Sam melting into the seat, contentedly looking out the windows.  Of course, there was this new jaded weight his entire body radiated these days.  It never left Sam.  A part of him was always on guard, freshly-hardened to the everything around him.  
  
But right now was the happiest Dean had seen his little brother since his world had gone to Hell.  This little snapshot was fucking beautiful, and if the trip was the match that struck it?  No way would Dean put out that flame.

\-------------------

“That’s it? _That’s_ your luggage?  Seriously?”

Today was the day.  The drive was finally over.  Sam was stretching his legs, on the docks staring up at his new ‘roommate’ who was peering down over the rails and pointing at two duffle bags.  Both were slung over Sam’s shoulder and he nodded.

“Permission to board?  With my serious luggage?” he asked dryly and was met with a gleeful smile.

Gabriel chuckled and disappeared from sight, back into the ship.  The omega flinched when he reappeared, swiftly jumping down (directly in front of him) and grabbed both bags.

“C’mon, Boss!  I’ll show ya what I’ve done with the place.”  He winked and made sure Sam was following with a head nod, “I spruced up your quarters, too.  Everything’s looking real nice for your travels, and—”

“Please tell me ‘Boss’ is a joke.  I’ll never answer to it.”  Sam needed to nip in the bud, because it was also a small thing that Gabriel had done at their dinner a few nights ago.  He didn’t want the alpha to think, for a second, those were the terms.

Gabriel hummed thoughtfully, and then decided, “Well, you’re the one who’s paying me…” and playfully added, “I’ll call you _whatever_ you want…”

“Oh, God.  Don’t start that.”

When they turned the corner into the room Sam had instantly took a liking to, his eyes hadn’t shot right to the wide skylight this time.    
  
They took in the fact Gabriel had, indeed, ‘spruced it up.’  Wow.  He’d gone all out, making what was previously the crew quarter a damn Presidential Suite.    
  
It wasn’t fancy in a way that it was impersonal and picked out of a catalog, it was…warm.  Pieced together by the alpha himself, rather than snatched from a showroom.

There were calming shades of blues and greens, the pillows cases, the sheets, the lush, down comforter.  He’d even built a nightstand and light into the corner where there hadn’t been one before.  The closet space seemed wider, and there was a trunk at the foot of his bed for his belongings.

That was probably why Gabriel had asked if these bags were it.

The alpha most likely nailed it down, making sure Sam had the needed storage.

As his eyes scanned the room—

Woah.  Were the walls freshly painted too?

Gabriel was setting the bags at the foot of the bed when Sam faced him with a glowing smile.  “This is amazing!  The room, all the renovations, I would’ve liked it just the way it was—but this?  It’s…thank you.  Wow.”

The alpha was physically taken aback and blinked with wide eyes.

Did Sam see…the barest of color on his cheeks?

“Hey!  I’m hosting you, kiddo!  Happy you dig it,” he tried to blow it off and crossed his arms, leaning in the door frame.  “Needed some updating anyway, right?”

“Can you at least give me the receipt so I can reimburse you?” Sam implored, sitting on the edge of the bed that —yes—had a brand new, top-of-the-line mattress, complete with a pillow top.

Gabriel snorted and shook his head.  “Hell no!  I’m just getting started!  These are the things I’m doing for my girl, and you just happen to be reaping the benefits.  Now, why don’t you get settled in?  Make sure we’re all good to go and then once you give me the okay—we ship out.”

He nodded, and Gabriel took his leave, but the omega was still shocked.  The scent coming from Gabriel…Sam was captivated by it.  But not just the scent, by the alpha.  His host was one of a kind.  But…in so many ways.  This genuine thoughtfulness and compassion couldn’t be faked, it was something people were born with, and no matter how many jokes Gabriel made, he was so… _good_.

As Sam quickly moved into the space, eager to head out on their journey, he thought back over their previous meeting.

It had solidified the fact he’d made the right choice in Gabriel for this trip.  Sam had been stunned and intrigued by the alpha’s knowledge of the port towns and cities that the omega would be interested in seeing—the villages and townie places that weren’t tourist traps.  Gabriel was so well-traveled himself, he _was_ the perfect guide.

If that wasn’t enough, their dinner went much longer than anticipated.  Sam was enchanted and drawn in by all of the alpha’s stories, while some may call them tangents, Sam couldn’t get enough.  His humor, the way Gabriel wasn’t afraid he’d offend a ’delicate omega’ with his crassness, was never offensive.

Sam felt like he’d known Gabriel for years.  There wasn’t a lick of negativity, no warnings or red flags that his overactive and (let’s be honest) abused inner omega was sending out.    
  
Gabriel felt safe.  It was crazy, Sam shouldn’t think that already, yet he did.

He unpacked into the drawers, the chest, and the small closet, and Sam felt that he had everything.  Even though his belongings could’ve fit into the drawers alone, he tried to spread it out because the alpha had gone to the trouble of making extra space.  Gabriel already told him he was taking care of food and all the other necessities, but Sam still brought odds and ends.

Smiling widely, he rushed around, following his nose to find Gabriel.

He was lounging on the beautiful upper deck, kicked back in one of the chairs with his arms above his head, eyes closed.  He looked so peaceful, and he had no idea how fast Sam moved.  Gabriel probably wasn’t expecting him for a good while, and maybe the omega felt guilty for interrupting his relaxation.

Then again, he knew there wasn’t much he could do to get the alpha down.  And he’d probably like it less if Sam held on his account.  He just seemed like one of those guys…

“Gabriel,” Sam tried to keep his voice soft, trying not scare the crap out of him.

Luckily it worked, kind of.  “Thought I scented you up here.”  He opened one eye and glanced at Sam before he popped up off the chair.  “You’re ready to go?”

“You don’t sound too surprised,” the omega noted and pursed his lips together.

The alpha crossed the distance, set his hand on Sam‘s shoulder and squeezed.  “I know you wanna get the hell outta here.  So let’s do it.”  Suddenly, he jerked away, leaving the omega confused, and blurted out, “Fuck, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to—”

“What?” Sam was puzzled and tilted his head.

“I shouldn’t have touched you without your permission,” Gabriel said, and Sam hadn’t even _realized_ because—yeah, that _should_ have caused tension perhaps (someone touching him who wasn’t family, let alone an alpha), but...he hadn’t even noticed.  Today was getting odder and odder.  “Let’s head to the bridge?”

When Gabriel pivoted around, Sam had to shout after him, “It’s okay, you know!  I’d tell you if it wasn’t!”

“Okay,” the alpha grumbled, probably in the middle of an internal battle, or something, even though Sam didn’t think there was one in the first place.

Soon, they were looking out through all expansive windows as Gabriel effortlessly backed the boat out of the harbor and towards the horizon.  Sam was in awe, watching the endless miles and miles of water, the birds flying freely before they scattered.  The reflection of the sun on the sea and the scent of salt heavy in the air.

He took in heavy lungfuls and enjoyed every second of each sensation.

This was amazing.  This was exactly what he needed, this—

“Your scent’s chipper.  So far so good?” Gabriel was honestly curious, stealing a peek at Sam with a grin.

Sam’s joy was palpable when he nodded.  “So far so good.”  
  


\-------------------------------

Taking off from the Gulf gave them with the unique opportunity to sight-see in places Sam had never been and would probably never get the chance to visit.  He’d resigned himself to his fate—infamy was the price he had to pay for all those other omegas livelihood.

While he never planned on seeing the Caribbean Islands, they were going to be passing through anyway, and Gabriel knew the areas that weren’t tourist havens.  And the dangerous sections to avoid.

Gabriel also told the omega it would be good to establish a routine.

After all, once they took off to cross the ocean, there were committed.  They should work in baby steps for now.

Putting some distances between him and home.  Docking.  Visiting the ports and towns.  Rinse and repeat.

One of the best things in the world?

Gabriel didn’t coddle him.  He didn’t give him ‘the talk’ about being careful when they hit land.  He didn’t worry about him _because_ he was an omega.    
  
Granted, Sam wore blockers, but Gabriel knew his designation and never thought he was weaker for it.  He didn’t even blink.  All the alpha did was wave, ask him what he wanted for dinner, and he’d have it waiting when Sam got back.

Sometimes, they’d both head into town—Gabriel on errands, Sam to explore, but they never worried about each other.  Everything was so easy between them, Sam could breathe.

He wanted to tell Gabriel how much he appreciated it, and appreciated him, but…was he allowed to do that?  After all, he was paying him.  There was this weird line.

Sam genuinely considered them friends after the first two months.  Good friends.  With the occasional flirtatious comment here and there.  But Sam wondered: was he buying Gabriel’s friendship, his acceptance, and his reaction to him?  The alpha could obviously read him incredibly well, so what if he was just giving Sam his money’s worth?

It was a perplexing and concerning thought.

At the end of the day, it didn’t matter.  All of their adventures, all of the little excursions and memories Sam made because of Gabriel’s knowledge and pointers, those were the things that carried weight.  Plus, the more Sam thought about it, you couldn’t fake a friendship like theirs.  And he was damn well going to prove it!

\--------------------------

Gabriel and Sam were lounging on the dock, relaxing just before they were about to turn in for the night.

The alpha glanced over to Sam and asked, “So are you ready for it?  Think we got enough experience under our belts that we won’t kill each other on the trip over?”

Sam kept his face steady, because Gabriel already knew the answer, he was smirking widely because it was laughably, how well they got along.  They were about to do it—commit to crossing the ocean, and it was about damn time. The omega was so ready.

His hair was flying every which way in the night air, and Sam tied it back into a bun.  “I’m not as worried about us _killing_  each other as I’m worried about _other_  things,” Sam said boldly.

Because he knew that this was where Gabriel always, consistently buckled.  He danced around this line like a friggin Irishman doing a jig, but he’d never cross it.  It was reoccurring theme.

“ _Really_ , Moose?  What kinds of things are you thinking about in that dirty little mind of yours?”

Oh.  Gabriel actually called him out on it.  This was a new one.  The tables had been turned.

Sam flashed a smile and shrugged.  “I mean, two people by themselves?  Over a month?  Close quarters?  Kinda dangerous…”

Fucking hell, Gabriel was giving him one of those once-overs, where his amber eyes reflected that beautiful glint of gold and he licked his lips.  “You’re right…”  When he shifted to face Sam, the omega’s heart began to race.  “Whatever shall we do if there’s an emergency?  I’ll do your field-stitches if you do mine.  Can’t bleed to death on my girl, here!”

The omega blew out the breath he was holding through his lips.  “Not…what I was going for…” he sighed and shifted around in the chair, “But that’s typical, isn’t it…”

“Beg your pardon?” Gabriel asked, leaning in to hear his words.

“Nothing.”  Sam put the kibosh on this one, it was a losing battle.  Maybe he’d win one day, but this day wasn’t it.  “I think we’ll be good when we cross.  I’m really excited to get over there, you know?”

“I know.”  Gabriel’s scent and his words were warm.  “I can’t wait to show you the hidden beauties in Morocco.  You’ll love that.  The sky’s the limit, we can be overseas for as long as your heart desires.  Don’t feel rushed, you’ve got all the time you want—remember that.”

“I feel like I’m always trying to drive that home with someone else, or myself,” the omega confessed, wringing his hands as he spoke.  “I’m glad you get it.  I hope that’s Gabriel talking, and not a version I paid,” he laughed it off like a joke, but it looked as though the passive-aggressiveness of it shone through.

“Uh—excuse me, a Pay-Per-Gabriel, you say?  Babycakes, that don’t exist.”  He shot up to his feet and stalked over to where Sam was sitting, and loomed over him.  “I’m paid for tasks and services.  I’m not paid to be someone I’m not.  You and that sweet ass better be fucking around with me.”

Sam’s head was craned nearly all the way back, the alpha was so close.  He was demanding attention, but he wasn’t posturing—it was so peculiar…Gabriel was doing it to make sure Sam took him seriously, but not scaring him at the same time.  

Even these small things, he put thought into.

“Y-yep.  Totally fucking around,” he stammered and would have nodded.

Except, if Sam nodded?  He would have knocked his forehead against Gabriel’s cock.  …Oh, crap.  The imagery coming to mind…

Sam’s voice was hushed when he said, “This is dangerous,” and Gabriel instantly backed down with a boisterous laugh.

“For sure, I mean—how could you _not_ be bullshitting me?”  The alpha began walking backwards and winked, “If you were really paying me to act like someone, it sure as hell wouldn’t be myself.  Let me know if you’ve got any _other_ role-play fantasies.  We’ve got over a month on the water, starting in the morning!”

Although Gabriel made his exit, Sam felt like a piece of him was still here.

Like the alpha’s scent had soaked into the very fabric Sam was wearing…which it totally had.  He’d been so close to the omega and so ruffled with bursts of emotions, they were clinging to Sam’s clothes.  And while they weren’t the best of smells…they were still Gabriel, and his core was deep down in there—

Speaking of, Sam had his answer.  After pissing off his crush, he knew that Gabriel was exactly, unapologetically himself, no matter the circumstance.  And that made the omega even happier.

They’d do well, he knew it, and now he was dizzy with anticipation over Morocco, too.

\-------------------------

Once they were out in the open water and the days continued to pass, Sam found he easily lost count.  He wasn’t sure how much time had gone by, and he didn’t mind that he didn’t know.  Not having to worry about the little things, being able to simply…be?  Sam had all the time in the world, for the first time in his life.

Structured didn’t exist—Sam long since abandoned it.  It felt so amazing to give up control, allow it to slip through his fingers.  He used to love a schedule, needing to keep an eye on the clock with a nine-to-five and a very rigid, down-to-the-minute routine.

Now, he’d let go.

Sometimes he mused over the past.    
  
His clock going off at five am.  Sam always jumped right out of bed at the shrill wake-up call, never hitting the snooze button.  He let the coffee brew while he took his shower, then read the morning paper as he ate breakfast.  Everything was meticulous, Sam accounted for any and all events that could put him behind and worked it into his mornings.

Like when he hopped in his car, Sam would allow an additional half hour of rush hour for the twenty minute drive.  During the stop-and-go traffic, he’d fuss with the radio—the songs he’d listen to were the only thing that varied during his day.

Work was work.  He was good at it, great even.  Still, Sam knew there was something better out there for him.    
  
Which was why he helped his brother out with cases as his extracurricular activity.  Sam needed adrenaline.  The only way he could get what he craved was pushing his body through rigorous workouts and helping Dean on stakeouts or undercover work.

That same desire had made him careless, and it had cost him.  It had cost him everything.

Sam had been robbed of his old life, but these days it truly felt like he was where he belonged.  He found clarity in the chaos and it landed him right here.  Maybe this was the ‘something better’ out there for him, even if he’d trudged through Hell to make it.

Looking out on the endless ocean from the upper deck, as the warm rays deepened the tan on his already sun-kissed skin.  The wind was whipping his hair, and all these sensations plus the scents surrounding him made him feel real.

Nowadays, whatever odd times Sam woke was when breakfast was ready.

Gabriel had this crazy sixth sense: it was as though the _moment_ Sam stretched in bed the alpha’s nose could tell and he jumped to kitchen.  By the time Sam was up and dressed, something delicious was already waiting.

Although hesitant at first, Gabriel had finally allowed him to come visit in the bridge when he was steering so Sam had company.    
  
Sam kind of lived for those morning chats.  He’d trade a solitary newspaper-read for the alpha’s company over eggs and bacon any day.  The more he learned about Gabriel, the more he was sucked in and, well, _taken_.

Sam never really ‘discovered’ anything about him.  They never discussed their pasts, never delved into any Twenty Question games.  But he sure _learned_ about him.  Who he was, how he saw the world, the kind of stuff the alpha was made of.

Maybe at first, before he boarded, the idea of being with one person for an undetermined amount of time was daunting.  Sam figured the vessel was large enough that they could do a damn good job avoiding one another if it came to that.  Irony won out in the end—Sam constantly found himself actively seeking the alpha out instead of running.

That wasn’t in the plan.  Not at all.

While it was a fantastic turn of events that they got along this well, Sam worried it was _too_ well.  

It didn’t really matter, because Gabriel was clearly not taking it the wrong way.  Sam wasn’t leading the alpha on, that would imply Gabriel was chasing him.  In fact, it was quite the opposite.  Sam would have to do something pretty damn drastic to have an effect on Gabriel—his restraint was bar none.

It was Sam hunting him down for the conversations, for the company.  If the omega kept to himself?  Who knew if he’d even see Gabriel at all!  
  
Now that he thought about that, Sam wasn’t sure if he was impressed or worried.  They were good companions.  But where Sam wanted there to be something more, was this a sign that Gabriel may not be interested?  He wouldn’t toe that line, not yet.  Not when he had finally found his freedom, what he felt he was meant to be doing.

Yeah, as Sam sat up and looked back out onto the ocean, he felt at ease.

“You ready for lunch, kid?”

Sam looked over his shoulder and pushed his sunglasses up to perch on top of his head.  “Depends,” he said with a grin, “what did you cook up?”

Gabriel grabbed the back of the chair and jarred it, Sam tipping with it and yelping.

“Looks like you’re gonna have to come in and see!  Too damn windy out here!”  He announced and took off running before Sam could smack him.

He totally was about to wind up and do just that.

“Jesus, Gabriel!” Sam shouted at the retreating alpha and grabbed his discarded shirt.

He pulled it on and stood up because, yeah, now that he thought about it, his stomach was rumbling.  Sam cheeks hurt because he was smiling so widely, and he turned to follow across the deck.  Whatever he made for lunch would be awesome, and Sam picked up the pace to head below deck.

\---------------------------------

Darkness.  Everywhere Sam looked, it was pitch black, and he felt the anxiety in his stomach spike straight through his icy veins and beyond his skin.  The sensation riddling his flesh accelerated beyond Goosebumps, straight to needles piercing through his flesh, the terror was overwhelming—

The smallest sliver of light was shining under the door and Sam fell to his knees.

He began digging frenetically in the dirt, he _couldn’t_ stay here hidden in the dark, he couldn’t stand it a second more!

Sam clawed and raked at the earth until his fingernail broke off, his emaciation making them brittle.  He still fought desperately, like a wild, feral animal, through the blood and the pain—

Then Sam locked up, because there was a voice.

It was one of the men, with a client.

If he could just keep his head down, maybe he wouldn’t get nailed in the neck with a dart again.  Maybe if he faked being tranquilized, he could fight them and finally be free!

—But then the light on the other side of the door turned off.

“No!  No, no, no,” Sam shook his head violently, now punching the door, the only sound in the deafening silence.

“Don’t leave me in here!” he screamed until his throat was hoarse, until his knuckles split, until the tears of frustration and horror were flowing freely down his cheeks.  “Come back!  Goddammit, come back, _please_!  I can’t—!”

“Hey, hey, hey,” a voice, quiet and coaxing voice, was next to him and Sam lunged up out of bed, realizing he was having a nightmare.

That’s also when he realized Gabriel was sitting on the edge of his bed, a hand running through his hair and another holding his own shaking and now-death gripped one.  He whipped around to the alpha, who didn’t seem surprised in the least that Sam was up—

And he couldn’t keep it together—

Fuck, he didn’t know why or how he let it happen, but Sam crumbled and collapsed against Gabriel.

His body was still quaking, sweat had soaked through his t-shirt and it was clinging to him and chilling him further.  It wasn’t until Gabriel reached up and brushed his cheeks that he realized…dammit, the tears were real, too—

“Look up, Sammy,” Gabriel said in support, stroking his back, despite the disgusting mess he was leaving on the alpha.  He repeated kindly, “Just look up at the stars.”

Yes.  Sam had to remember—he _wasn’t_ underground.  One of the reasons he’d chosen this, this new way of life, was because of the complete freedom.

He lifted his head up so damn quickly, he almost toppled backwards.  Gabriel's speed was quicker to adjust and cradled his weight.

Sam…could breathe.    
  
He took in deep, soothing breaths to try and calm himself down, staring out into the endless sky.  It was crystal clear and free of the cities smog on a beautiful, calm night.  The moon was bright, illuminating his room, the hallway light was also cascading a glow into his cabin.  Gabriel’s scent…it was _everything_ he needed right now.

As he focused on the stars, locking in on the shapes, Sam’s gaze traced along the edges of different constellations.  Letting himself get lost in the vastness of space around him and the light, Sam realized something startling—he didn’t detect a single note of pity in Gabriel’s scent.

There was no sympathy, none of those frustrating emotions that constantly surrounded him.  Things that he scented from the public, from even his own brother: condolences for the ‘poor, traumatized omega.’

Gabriel…genuinely cared.  Of course, he was worried, and rightfully so.    
  
The scent of alarm was fading, as Sam had undoubtedly woken the alpha with his screaming.  Still, Gabriel smelled safe, supportive and…things that Sam had never, ever related to an alpha who wasn’t family.  Sam never expected to turn to an alpha for comfort again in his life.  Not after what happened.

Maybe it was because he was laid raw that Sam asked, voice fucking wrecked, “How do you do that?”

“Do what, kiddo?” Gabriel asked in thorough confusion, and Sam didn’t blame him.

Now that he was positive he wasn’t underground, he was surrounded by different light, Sam let his forehead lull onto Gabriel’s shoulder.  And he scented him.  Hell, Sam inhaled _lungfuls_.  Yeah, maybe it was forward, but it calmed him.  Sam needed it so badly.

“You always _know_.  What’s too much.  What’s not enough.  What’s just right, every time.  Gabriel…” Sam groaned in frustration, “You didn’t sign up to shuttle a basket-case all over the world.  Now you’re having to deal with my baggage, too.  I’m so fucking sorry, I should’ve—” he paused, then asked something that had been picking at his brain.  “Do you know who I am?  My…story?”

“’Course I do.  I don’t live under a rock.”  Sam almost jolted away, afraid that was the case, but Gabriel firmly held onto him, anchoring Sam right where he was.  Right where he felt secure.  “None of that matters.  No one is what happened _to_ them.  No one is what _was done_ to them.  You’re how you reacted, rose above it, and kicked ass doing it.  You’re not a basket-case, Sammy: you’re a motherfucking hero.”

Those words spoken by someone who wasn’t blood?  They were shocking, they carried honesty, and they meant so much more.  So much, that Sam’s lip trembled and he had to purse them together before he began shaking all over again.

“I can’t even begin to imagine what you went through.  And my knowledge extends to what the media showed us, I’m sure that ain’t even the half of it.”  Gabriel changed gears, it was sparked with inspiration that the omega _felt._  “But us out here, on an adventure?  Heh, no one could do this after the hell you fought through.”  Slowly, Gabriel laid Sam back down on his bed.  
  
Except, the omega wasn’t ready to let go.  Not yet.

Gabriel didn’t seem bothered and curled up next to him, saying, “I hope I can keep doing what’s ‘just right.’  You’ve earned this.”  He was a little more reserved when he asked, “Is it…was…is everything okay?  Not too much for you?”

“Like I said,” Sam could openly and honestly admit, “It’s perfect.  I feel…safe with you.  It’s insane, but I guess if I felt uneasy we wouldn’t be here in the first place, huh?  I got lucky...something even better happened.  So long as I don’t drive you crazy.”  Sam glanced over, and then reworded Gabriel’s inquiry of, “Is _this_ too much?” because who knew if he felt okay being horizontal in bed with Sam right now.  
  
No matter how innocent.

“Nah, not too much.  Not by a long shot.  You know, kid…”  For the first time, the alpha seemed hesitant, which was odd—considering Sam was already clamped onto his side.  “If you need to talk anything out, whether it’s about the nightmares or something that’s bothering you, I happen to be an excellent listener.”

It was true—Sam didn’t have his therapist anymore.  Although, the last thing he wanted to do was bog Gabriel down with his bullshit.  Especially, because of the little growing crush he happened to have.  If he let Gabriel into his head, no matter how good a listening ear, he’d be running in the other direction.  What happened in Sam’s brain would demolish anything blossoming between them.

Sam decided to go with, “I’ll let you know.  If I need an excellent listener,” and a genuine smile quirked on his face.  “Thank you.  For tonight.  For centering me.  That was probably the fastest I’ve become lucid before.  Usually, I’m confused and in-between the dreams and reality much, much longer.”

Damn near beaming, Gabriel announced, “Well, I got my method down!  I’ll be your knight in shining armor.  One last question?”

The omega nodded for him the continue.

“Do you want me to stay?  Keep the nightmares away?”  He said it as casually, as comforting, as possible.

It was only then that Sam realized he was still latched, half-on half-off the alpha and he blushed a little.  Yeah, currently…being lucid kind of sucked.  He pulled away, embarrassed, and groaned, “I’m sorry, you can…go back to sleep.  Hopefully I didn’t cut off your circulation.  Thank you again.”

If Sam didn’t know any better, he would have said that the alpha looked a bit crestfallen when he got up to his feet.  He ruffled Sam’s hair and told him, “I’ll be back if you need me,” and that made Sam’s heart beat a little faster.  In a good way.

The frequency of the nightmares began to diminish, which was fantastic and kind of a bummer at the same time.  Because the moment Sam worked up the courage to ask Gabriel to spend the night?  His night terrors were…practically nonexistent.

The alpha had scared them away.  In the event they were to come back: Sam had left an open invitation.  One that he hoped Gabriel remembered and took.

So far, there was only one night the alpha had stayed with him—it was polite and respectfully above the covers.  Still, Sam clung to him, and merely breathing in his scent—  
  
It was the best sleep the omega had gotten…since he couldn’t even remember…

Sam was even tinkering with the concept of faking for the purpose of luring Gabriel into his bed.  Was that a horrible crime?  Sam would take the alpha any way that he could get him, because day after day, he was finding all these new reasons to fall for him.  If there was a legitimate reason to get him into his bed…Sam couldn’t help the pull of temptation.  
  
It was so difficult to fight, especially when he didn’t want to in the first place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My ridiculously talented friend [foxymoley](https://foxymoley.tumblr.com/) gifted me with the beautiful art in this chapter <3


	3. Chapter Two

In retrospect, it was likely brought on by the fact that Gabriel’s scent made Sam feel safe.

That he was the _only_ person, outside of the omega’s family, he could associate with protection and security.  Maybe allowing Gabriel and his scent to linger in Sam’s quarters had been a mistake...because when it was gone, Sam went looking for it.

Except, Sam had no clue that he was looking for it.  Yes, it _was_ about as risky as it sounded.

That night was the night Gabriel discovered Sam would sleep-walk.

It was rare, very rare, and even when it happened, his sleep-walking habits normally led him to the kitchen to sleep-eat.  Sam would do odd things, like rearrange dishware and put the peanut butter jar in with the coffee mugs post-snack, then amble back to bed.  This time, he had no idea he was following his nose.

When the door to Gabriel’s cabin opened in the middle of the night, he instantly awoke to see the languid movements of the giant he’d been pining over just…inviting himself in.  Sam left the door wide open and crossed the space with purpose, if not moving a tad slow.  
  
Gabriel had no idea what was happening or what to do.  The first thing he thought was that Sam may have had a nightmare.  Maybe Gabriel wasn’t quick enough on the draw, maybe he hadn’t heard him, and now Sam was upset and needed him—

Naturally, he felt fucking horrible right away.

“Hey, kid.  You okay?” Gabriel asked softly, scooting over, because it was clear Sam was headed right for him.  “What’s on your mind, Sammy?” he tried again when the omega didn’t respond.  
  
That’s when he got a good look at Sam’s face.  Because it was _inches_ away from his own.

And Sam’s goddamn body weight knocked him over, tackling him into the bed.

“Woah, oh, slow down, there!”  Gabriel was flustered, struggling to put together the pieces while being crushed.  
  
Sam was completely unfocused, at least his vision was—his eyes were heavy lidded, but he knew enough to—

...Help himself and join Gabriel under the covers.    
  
Well, shit, Gabriel needed to grab a hold of his self-control.  Any other time this would’ve been a wet-dream come true!  Besides the whole dawning realization that Sam-is-sleep-walking, and you aren’t supposed to wake a damn sleepwalker!    
  
This was actually nice, now that he thought about it…since he couldn’t exactly be held accountable and stop Sam’s actions, right?  Yeah, that made total sense!  He could sit back—well, lay back—and let Sam do whatever Sam wanted to do, because those were 'the rules.'  Gabriel would stick to that story until his dying breath!

Without the covers keeping them apart for the first time, Sam’s heat was pressed up against him.  He couldn't have glued himself to Gabriel any tighter, feeling so many stretches of skin pressing together, plus the flimsy sleepwear leaving little to the imagination— _holy shit_.    
  
The omega was still as eager to hold him as if he’d had a nightmare, if not more.  It was—

“Fuck—!” Gabriel couldn’t muffle the curse leaving his mouth—because Sam— _dammit_!

The omega had not stopped when he buried his nose in Gabriel’s neck, Sleep-Sam wasn't content just yet.  No, he was brushing it along the entire length of Gabriel's throat!  
  
Sam was inhaling Gabriel’s scent, taking it a step further and scent marking Gabriel in return through heavy, audible inhales and airy, happy sighs.  It was almost too much when Sam fixated, making very, _very_ certain the alpha was wearing his scent, too.  Sam’s subconscious was claiming him in a way, making sure that when someone scented Gabriel, they knew that Sam had called dibs.  Even though it was in Sam’s dreams...  
  
Just when Gabriel thought it couldn’t get any more intense, the idea that maybe the omega wanted this on some level, Sam’s tongue flickered out to taste Gabriel’s skin.

It was nearly impossible not to shake Sam awake!

The only question: did Gabriel wake him to kick him out?  Or did he wake Sam and continue down this path until the omega was dripping slick and begging?

Sam mouthed along Gabriel’s neck, still savoring every damn lungful—by now, his scent _had_ to be heavy with lust—and he finally rested his chin in the crook of the alpha’s neck.

Gabriel found himself in a very, very awkward situation.

God, he _wanted_ to hold Sam.  He wanted to cuddle the omega.  Gabriel craved wrapping his arms around him, mirror the way the omega was looped around him.  Reciprocation would be no biggie when they woke up, it was innocent enough, they’d been here before—

Except this raging boner was anything but innocent.

Gabriel was twisted at the waist (friggin _contorted_ ), Sam curled up against his chest and shoulder, while Gabriel’s pelvis was facing the opposite direction.  He knew damn well if Sam’s legs intertwined with his (and Sam was trying, _fuckingshit_ ) there was no way the close contact and Sam’s own playful, happy scent would ever allow his dick to recover!  He’d be popping a knot in no time—

No.  He needed to hold his ground, wait it out.  Sam was back to dreamland and a dead-weight once more, without, you know, assaulting Gabriel throat in the most amazing way.  And the alpha was currently laying in wait.

Because he didn’t want to waste this chance.  He really, really wanted to take advantage (no, not in a pervy way) of Sam wanting to…be with him.  Wanting to be close.

Gabriel would take any and everything he could get, he was so transfixed on the omega.  He’d do anything and everything to make him happy, and in this situation, yeah—maybe he was getting a little more out of it than usual.

A little bit _too much_ out of it.  He was in over his head, never planning for this scenario—who would?!  
  
He’d imagined and played out a helluva lot of scenes in his head, rehearsed a lot of lines, thought up all the pop-up problems that could happen and veered them to positive outcomes, constructed solutions.  Gabriel had not taken sleepwalking into account!

God, he didn’t want to ruin things with an ill-timed hard-on!  Not when they had some legit trust built up between them.  How shitty would that be?

Thinking about that, the state of their relationship and _refusing_ to allow it to deteriorate (or be sabotaged in any way) was what worked.  And it worked quickly.

So luckily for Gabriel, he could finally _un_ twist (crap, he’d messed up his back!) and face Sam more, well, head-on.

Instantly, like he was responding to every little change in his scent, Sam sniffed the column of Gabriel’s throat.  The alpha was now in position to enjoy the outright happy, contented smile that graced Sam’s beautiful face as he shimmied around.  Sam managed to move just gracefully enough to completely engulf Gabriel with his octopus-Sasquatch limbs.

Gabriel had never been so _utterly_ wrapped up in anyone like this.    
  
It wasn’t because of Sam’s…stature, either.  It was because of the way he held on.  Gabriel loved the warmth, and it had nothing to do with body heat.  Well, he liked that, too.    
  
He mused if (like the nightmare) the wandering, this stolen moment, had to do with Sam’s worry about being left alone?  If he sought Gabriel out from his innate fear, being abandoned and forgotten, needing physical contact to make it count?

Whatever the reason, Gabriel felt honored to be on the receiving end.  He relished every last bit before he nodded off to sleep.

\----------------------------

Sam awoke slowly to a sweet, delicious scent that was so much better than any coffee he‘d been stirred by, wondering briefly if that was breakfast.  He felt refreshed, relaxed, and ready for the day.  Except—when he licked his dry lips—

He tasted skin.  What the hell—  
  
Apparently, it seemed his goddamn lips were pressed up against some _one_ else.

Instead of springing up in alarm, the omega froze in shock.  Logically, he told himself, there could only be one person here with him.

Logic was something Sam could and _would_ force himself to work with.  He still hadn’t opened his eyes.  He needed to take stock of the situation before he was required to face it.

Parts of this were familiar.  Other parts, well, _weren’t._

Yes.  He was pillowed against Gabriel’s chest, riding the rise and fall of his breaths and the wave-like motion was mesmerizing.  This was the part Sam knew.  This was something he’d grown quite fond of and hadn’t had the chance or luck to experience in a while.    
  
The part that was foreign, was the awareness of his arms wrapped around Gabriel’s actual body.  Of their legs being laced together.  Of being skin on skin.  Back when Sam had nightmares, Gabriel had shown ungodly respect and restraint.  He always made the choice to sleep with Sam, staying above the covers.  
  
He sure wasn’t now, and it was friggin _amazing_...

The small part of Sam laying on the mattress and not the alpha realized that this bed was much cushier than his own.  As were the sheets.  
  
_Goddammit_.  Sam, himself, had been the one to pull this move.  Obviously, there was no way that Gabriel had picked him up, carried Sam from his room, and then tucked them both into his bed in the middle of the night!  
  
Sam finally knew what happened here.

He hadn’t sleepwalked since halfway through the trial!  Even then, Sam had never jumped into bed with Dean and Cas!  He assumed his sleepwalking was triggered by stress, how could he have seen _this_ coming?

But one thing here was painfully obvious.

The whole, Sam basically drooling on Gabriel’s neck, thing.  This, alone, told Sam what had triggered the episode, and it sure as hell wasn’t stress...

He had no doubt that his subconscious was seeking out Gabriel’s scent, following the path with his nose through the hallways, and then happily settling in once he checked off ‘mission accomplished.’    
  
While he could deal with that, there was the absolutely mortifying fact that Sam could scent _himself_ on Gabriel—

Fuck!  He’d sleep-scent-marked him!?

Why had Gabriel even let him stay here?  There was no doubt he’d woken up when Sam barged in and invaded his personal space!  What he did...it was _beyond_ forward, that was completely inappropriate and—

“G’morning, kiddo,” Gabriel hummed out and Sam knew he was caught.  “Stop it.  You’re an open book.  You’ve got nothin’ to be worried about.  I’m just glad you didn’t march your happy ass into the damn ocean.”  Then Gabriel kissed his forehead.

Sam wasn’t sure if he meant to do it, if his guard was lowered, but it felt like the most natural thing in the world.  It also did wonders to calm Sam down.  If Gabriel hadn’t realized he did it, if he moved without thought?  Sam needed to hurry, to turn it around and assure the alpha he hadn’t crossed a line.  
  
Holy hell, Sam wanted more of that...

“You’re right,” he chuckled, and gathered his courage to be just bold enough, and breathed in Gabriel’s phenomenal scent again. _Holy hell_.  He couldn’t be held accountable for the easy, content sigh, even if the alpha went a little rigid.  “Much better location than accidentally taking a swim.  Jesus, thank you for putting up with my weird shit.  I didn’t even consider this being possible, let alone me sleep-attacking you.”

Maybe there was a God, because Gabriel sunk back down into the bed and he joined Sam’s laughter, agreeing, “Your so-called ‘weird shit’ is the spice of life, ya keep me on my toes.  I love every second of it.  Plus, can’t lie—I didn’t mind the company.  Your scent, it’s…soothing.  Knocks me right out, you know?”

“Funny, that’s what my nose thinks about yours, apparently.”  Sam risked it: one more time he dared to fill his lung with everything Gabriel, and it was glorious—

From the easy, natural humor and an untamed freeness, to the embed tones of the sea, underneath all that, because Sam had been searching, he discovered too many things that made him…hopeful.  Gabriel, waking up next to Sam, in this situation was genuinely happy.  There was no guarded barrier, and nothing in the alpha was put-out or put-off as Sam feared.  No, Gabriel was truly delighted in the omega’s presence: which was a feat on it’s own, considering they lived together twenty-four seven.

Digging deeper, Sam could scent a thrill, the excitement resulting from Sam’s bold and uncharacteristic fearless quip.  Gabriel was rubbing off on the omega and giving him this bad habit of saying ‘fuck consequences.’  
  
Speaking of which…it _may_ be too good to be true.  It could be chalked up to the touch-sensation natural response, or the fact that it was morning, but Sam...detected traces of lust.

As far as Sam could tell, Gabriel was trying so hard to suppress it, to shove it down.  That alone made the omega think that maybe—just maybe—it _was_ for him.  Hope was a dangerous but _very_ exciting thing.

When Sam untangled them, he pushed off the bed yet couldn't tear his eyes away from the alpha who was looking so damn innocent.  Innocent, until Gabriel asked, “You _really_ do like my scent, don’t ya?”

“Thought that was obvious,” Sam grinned down at him.  “Sorry for invading your personal space, though.  That was shitty.  I should’ve told you about the sleepwalking.  It’s rare, I never thought it would be a problem.  I’ve only done it when I’m somewhere familiar and comfortable, so I never thought that—”

Gabriel interjected, “That’s nice,” with a mischievous grin.

With a frown, Sam examined him closer and noticed there was nothing but impish joy in the alpha’s eyes.  “What’s…nice?”

“That, not _only_ are you comfortable enough with my girl, Amphitrite, and me,” Gabriel pushed off the bed and leaned into Sam’s personal bubble, “But the first thing sleepwalking-you does is plow past any hesitant, self-conscious bullshit, gets right to the good cuddles and indulges away!” and by then, they were nearly nose to nose.

Sam didn’t back away when Gabriel dared to test their boundaries.  He held steady, and Sam could _feel_ the alpha’s words, as they dropped in volume, as puffs against his lips.    
  
They were _so close_ …another inch, Sam would go cross-eyed.  From this minuscule distance, Gabriel’s eyes danced with all stunning shades of gold imaginable and he was confident.

God, the concept was too good, Sam had to say, “That sounds an awful lot like an invitation.  You need to be careful with your words, Gabe.”

He tilted his chin just enough, so if either of them were to lean forward, their lips would already be perfectly aligned to slot together.  Fuck!  This temptation was going to drive Sam insane!

“Well, it’s very possible I’m giving awake-you permission to join me like last night, if he wishes.  Since sleep-you doesn’t need any green lights.  That guy?  He gets the job done,” Gabriel teased, and Sam had to force himself from staring at the alpha’s lips.

This wasn’t supposed to happen!  Sam wasn’t supposed to feel this draw, this connection, this overwhelming desire!

Sam swallowed hard, his mouth going dry.  He closed his eyes while he said, “I’ll take that into consideration,” wondering if anything would happen.

Would Gabriel take that as his cue?  Sam knew his scent had to be willing, ready and screaming ‘please-friggin-kiss-me.’  Instead of putting him out of his misery, Gabriel cupped the side of Sam’s cheek and idly caressed his cheekbone with his thumb.  When Sam opened his eyes, the distance had widened, but the fondness in Gabriel’s eyes had amplified—it made no sense—it was counterproductive!

“If you wanna keep on snoozing, go ahead and take a nap.  I’ll get the jumpstart on breakfast and coffee, okay?”  Even his voice was like smooth honey, and everything about Gabriel’s contradictions confused Sam.

Sam couldn’t believe he was the one who kept pressing, but he persisted, “You sure you don’t wanna catch a few more z’s?  I won’t crush you this time…”

“Oh, Sammy.  You can crush me anytime you want...” he countered without thinking: it was obvious from the odd robotic retreat.  He was fast to cover it up with his usual confidence.  “Cuddle-crush.  Crushing cuddles?  Who the fuck knows.  Anyway, free game.  It’s kinda like aroma-therapy for both of us.”

Gabriel hopped to his feet and went about looking for…whatever.  Sam was too busy watching him, up until now, the alpha had been under the covers or partially obstructed by the way they were laying.  Or the short, taunting distance, plus distractions—now he could see it, clear as day.  
  
Sleepwalking Sam was a dick, he was genuinely rattled, because he took something away from real-Sam.  The honor of leaving (even the lightest) red marks on Gabriel’s neck—

“Oh _God—_ ” Sam moaned aloud by mistake, completely to himself, but of course...the alpha noticed.

With an eyebrow raised and shirt ready to change into, Gabriel sniffed the air and Sam hated it—he _knew_ his scent flipped.  He could already feel the beginnings of slick between his cheeks.  Seeing that claim, knowing both physical evidence  _and_ his scent lingered on the alpha was getting him wet…

“You okay?  What’s—”

Before Gabriel could say anything else, before Sam could potentially ruin everything with his sudden (and overwhelming) arousal, he sprung up from the bed and blabbered, “Come and get me for breakfast!  You just reminded me I should change too!  Thanks, _shit_!”  
  
And he ran like a fucking coward.

What else could he do?!  Stay there, let the scent of his teen-hormonal desire soak into Gabriel’s walls, into his sheets, as a dead giveaway that he was totally into him?  That it wasn’t platonic or simple fun anymore?!

“Uh, will do!” Gabriel shouted down the hall, echoing enough for Sam to hear.

Soon, he was faced with his own bed and promptly collapsed, looking up to the dawn rising through his skylight.

Sam crossed his arms behind his head, attempted to collect himself through other distractions.  Like the colors blending and turning with the sun’s ascension.  But…this newest discovery changed things...he hadn’t _merely_ scent marked Gabriel in his sleep walking.  He’d accidentally left behind a hickey, no matter how small.

Something so tiny affected him personally in a huge way.  It was insane.  And Sam had a feeling it may continue, every time he caught a glimpse.    
  
Now, that the crisis had been averted, Gabriel wasn’t upset at the situation and he’d given him an open invitation?  Sam’s only (and biggest) regret was that he hadn’t been awake!  
  
There were so many questions, he was fantasizing about the answers...did Gabriel lay there and let Sam have his way?  Did Gabriel get turned on by it, pull him closer?  Did the alpha moan as Sam covered him with his scent and—apparently—his mouth?  Would he give Sam a redo, talking him through every moment in graphic detail while they were both awake?

Shit, if there was a way to recover those memories, that would be fan-fucking-tastic, but it wasn’t like a night of drinking.  Sam couldn’t piece the puzzle together.  He couldn’t ‘wait for it to come back to him.’  No, these were all questions he'd never get answers to.

…Unless he really did ask the alpha.

Even with his growing confidence, he still wasn’t there yet.

Hell, Sam wasn’t even brave enough to reach out and kiss him!

If his body was unconsciously propelling him to Gabriel in the middle of the night, Sam knew it was unavoidable.  That ones of these nights, the dam would break.  Between Gabriel doting on him and staying close with the nightmares, Sam wandering and following his scent, or a newly-extended “welcome” to _Gabriel’s_ bed...things _would_ continue to progress.  It was inevitable they’d grow into something that went beyond this back-and-forth, almost-something.

Sam assumed.  Thought.  Prayed.  They just _had_ to!

\----------------------------

Gabriel was the most accommodating host Sam could have asked for.  The meals he cooked, the constant pristine conditions aboard, and not to mention the sailing paired with his advice once they hit the port towns—it made it feel like a true vacation.  Plus, Sam got lucky in the Gabriel-didn’t-think-he-was-a-freak kinda way.

After one such night, Sam woke with the dawn.  
  
The previous night, they’d hit the sea again after a week long stay in Reggio Calabria and were hugging the coast of Italy.  It was a week like many others: Sam explored and went on adventures, while Gabriel took care of his girl and made sure things were in tip-top shape.  He’d head into town, run errands and grabbed groceries to fill up the fridge, and they’d always return to each other in the evening to talk about their days.  
  
It was perfect.  Gabriel never worried about Sam, in places like this, the omega didn’t have to wear elaborate disguises, and while he was on land he could touch base at home.  Wherever they ended up next was up to Gabriel.  Sam trusted him, he didn’t even ask, they were on the Mediterranean and that’s all Sam needed to know.  Anywhere would be beautiful.  
  
Sam could feel the rock of the ocean, rather than the hum of the engine.  It wasn’t unusual, it actually happened quite a bit, the omega simply wondered what Gabriel was up to this time.

He didn’t smell any coffee or hints of breakfast, so he hopped out of bed, thinking this was the perfect opportunity to help out.  Sam never woke this early by himself ever since he’d given up looking at the clock or caring about time.  For once, he had an advantage, the chance he needed to show Gabriel his appreciation.  
  
The alpha did everything for him, he wanted to give back.  Plus, Sam knew they'd leveled up, they were so much more than 'just' traveling companions.  They’d even ascended from ‘just friends,’ even though their current limbo was odd, it wasn’t _bad_ , per se.  So yeah, Sam wanted to do something special.

Sam walked out into the hallway and sniffed around.  As he passed Gabriel’s cabin, the omega saw that he was already out and about, the scent left stale.  Except, the trail didn’t head over to the galley where Gabriel would be cooking.  No, the freshest path headed further down—which was curious…

The omega hoped he wasn't interrupting anything, maybe Gabriel had a morning schedule that he was always unconscious for?  Right as he paused in the doorway, he heard the sound of splashing coming from the starboard side of the boat, leading to the swimming deck, Sam lingering right outside the main room.    
  
Ah-hah, the fact that they were idling when he woke up made sense!  Plus, this also solved a riddle that the omega had been curious about since they set out.  Sam _knew_ that Gabriel kept in shape somehow, because sitting behind a freakin’ steering wheel in the bridge wouldn’t do it and—

 _Oh_ —

Sam could only assume this happened when they weren’t at port, because Gabriel climbed back onto the ship completely, one-hundred-percent, naked.

While the omega ducked in the doorway to avoid being seen, Gabriel quickly dried off and then collapsed back in one of the Adirondack lounges and stretched out.  They had three of those chairs on the upper deck, and Sam had always wondered why it was an uneven number.  It looked like Gabriel kept one back here, and tucked away for his morning routine.  
  
Because...  
  
Was he…sunbathing?  Also naked? _Yes_ , he certainly was.

Normally, seeing another man naked wouldn’t effect Sam like _this_ , but, fine!  He was fighting to keep his scent to himself, keep his breathing even and not be spotted—

Dammit, he felt like a Peeping Tom!  He should have turned around the second he saw Gabriel swim up to the deck!  Except his stupid crush, well, it was working on overdrive because of all this sexual tension, and he was doing equally stupid things.

Sam’s eyes swept over every square inch of Gabriel’s toned, swimmer’s body (that made total sense) but what he couldn’t friggin tear his eyes off was below the belt!    
  
Anyone else, he _could’ve_ turned away.  Sam and his overactive imagination?  Was about to get a whole helluva lot more creative.

Holy hell, Gabriel was all alpha, and it showed.

Even without the ghost of arousal, the alpha’s cock was huge, girthy and long all by itself, and Sam’s current breathing centered around how straight-up massive and juicy it would be when he was turned on.  …Somehow, that wasn’t an ’if,’ Sam’s mind had turned it into a ’when.’

Was he a voyeur?  Licking his lips and thinking about Gabriel’s cock hardening, thickening and the picture of full-mast glory?  And, fuck, what would his _knot_ be like?  It’d be comparable to a damn fist, if everything was proportional—

Sam suddenly realized that he was slick between his legs.  And he was still gawking at Gabriel, who was minding his own business, casually sunbathing, before he made breakfast and coffee for Sam: like every day.

Oh, but if _this_ was his morning routine, and Sam could somehow find his way into becoming apart of it?  Maybe join in the naked swimming?  Tease Gabriel right before he began laying out, Sam’s own protection a towel, Gabriel having none…  
  
Sam _knew_ he could finally figure out the right material to turn him on.  Gabriel, like this, would have nowhere to go, nowhere to hide.  They were too damn good at playing with each other, some days it was torture...

Maybe, just maybe, cornering him here was something Sam would consider—

But he couldn’t right now, he wasn’t in the right shape.  Sam desperately _needed_ to clean up the damn mess between his ass cheeks and take off before his own scent of ‘please-fuck-me’ carried to the deck.  Sam hadn’t even checked the wind to know if Gabriel would realize he was there or not!

Well, if he did, Sam sure made his presence known with a bang.  Or rather a wanna-bang?  Hopefully one day, Gabriel would say yes…  
  
For now, Sam had made the most amazing discovery, and it gave him incentive to wake up earlier all the time.  Until Gabriel knew that _he_ knew, maybe a passing glance wouldn’t hurt since this was all Sam was allowed.  It was certainly more than he was getting yesterday.  
  
Except he was also much more distracted than yesterday, knowing what Gabriel was working with underneath his clothing...it was a double-edged sword.    
  
Great...and now, Sam was relating everything back to cocks.  His sexual frustration was going to get the best of him, but how could it not?  The alpha’s—  
  
Okay.  Time for a cold, cold shower.

\-----------------------------

“Hey!  Gabriel!”

The alpha was cleaning the deck and losing daylight to the setting sun when he heard his name called.  Right after the voice, appeared Sam traipsing up from the stairs and he looked…pretty fucking amazing.  Like, friggin gorgeous, kind of amazing.

Gabriel stopped what he was doing and raised an eyebrow, “What’s up, kiddo?” trying not to lick his lips, but giving him a good once-over, because—why not?

Sam caught it and put his hands on his hips.  “I’m not a piece of meat.”

“Then don’t go around looking like filet mignon!” he countered back with a wide grin.  “Now where ya off to?”

“Well, I was hoping it was where _we_ were off to…” Sam watched the deck, careful of where he stepped—having a captive audience.  “You never drink on the ship because you love your baby too much.  I was wondering if you’d go into town with me and kick back while we’re docked?  We should have some fun tonight.”

“What?  You don’t consider every moment you spend with me fun?!” Gabriel gasped and put a hand on his chest.

While Sam shot him a signature bitchface, and even though Gabriel wasn’t usually the drinking type…he didn’t want Sam alone out on the town looking like…that.  He especially didn’t want anyone else getting their hands on his hot little piece of omega.  Shit, Gabriel needed to stop thinking about him that way, but yeah—he _had_ been called in as a glorified bodyguard and babysitter, so this _was_ his job, wasn’t it?

No, he couldn’t justify that.  He wanted to be with Sam.  Even more, he didn’t want anyone else to be with Sam!

“Sure,” Gabriel groaned, trying to sound put-out.  “Why not?”

“Really?”  The omega lit up like it was goddamn Christmas, Gabriel had to keep from melting.  “Awesome!  Okay, just—finish up?  When I was walking around today, I came across a legit tavern.  So whenever you’re ready, we’ll head out!”

Just like that, he bounced back downstairs, probably to his room, who knew.    
  
This time when Gabriel turned his back…the light he needed to swab the deck was all but gone.  Well, he might as well get ready.  Tonight should be…interesting.  He wondered how Sam was when he drank, but Gabriel knew he’d have to watch himself.

The kid was too…tempting.  And Gabriel’s self-control was growing weaker and weaker by the day.

\-------------------

Sam couldn’t believe he actually did it!

It took him a lot of courage to ask Gabriel out with him.  It…wasn’t like a date.  Sam didn’t think.  Or Sam didn’t think that Gabriel thought—or whatever.

Sure, Sam loved exploring and the few times Gabriel joined him were the best, but for the most part the alpha was stuck to his ship.  He was just as bad (if not worse) than Dean and the Impala.

It wasn’t like they were ditching her for the night, they would eventually end up onboard after the bar.  Until then, it’d be nice to walk around on solid ground and get some fresh (not sea salted) air.

Plus, this was one of those remote locations where no one knew him.  Sam didn’t even have to put together a disguise to walk the streets in daylight, it was liberating.  Being with Gabriel, being around people, _and_ relaxing?  This never happened.  Ever.

When Gabriel knocked on his door and announced, “Ready to hit the ground running!” maybe Sam’s heart picked up a little bit.

He’d already gotten dressed (to prove his intent and set the tone) and his leg had been bouncing as he waited.  He hopped up at the sound of the alpha’s voice and threw open the door with a wide smile, saying, “About time!” and had to stop himself from freezing in place because—

Gabriel looked fantastic.

Like…really hot.

Instead of fumbling, Sam tried to keep the conversation light.  “Well, don't you clean up nice.”

“I know, right?”  Gabriel waved him on, “So we hitting it, or are we hitting it?”

Sam was thinking, ‘Looking like that, I’d let you hit this…’  
  
Then again, that was a lie—he’d let Gabriel anytime.    
  
And he needed to, you know, speak.  “Yeah, let’s get out of here.”

\--------------------------

From the second they entered the tavern to the moment they were a few drinks in, both men noticed countless things that fascinated them.

Unbeknownst to the other, both alpha and omega were sending glares in the direction of their fellow alpha and omegas who dared look at the other.  It wasn’t long before the entire goddamn bar assumed that the pair were mates.

Both were unconsciously giving off the signals, even if they weren’t aware, and the first person who tried to approach Sam?  Well, Gabriel flawlessly intervened—he directed _Sam’s_ attention elsewhere, and smoothly told the other alpha to fuck off, because Sam was taken.  All right, maybe he knew exactly what he was doing, but he didn’t care.

After all, if Sam was out to get laid, he wouldn’t have invited Gabriel as a drinking partner, would he?  The alpha wasn't wingman material.

He was surprised at how easily Sam fit into the background, like his past trauma never even happen.  A piece of him was proud at the omega’s resilience but Sam was unlike anyone he’d ever met.  Sam was…well, incredible.  Gabriel had known that the second he’d met him on the docks.  He’d taken Gabriel’s breath away at first glance.  
  
_That_ was another story completely...

Sure, Gabriel may have been a bit nervous about how they’d do in an uncontrolled situation, out here with liquor and with others, but everything else fizzled away to white noise.  It was like they were on the bridge, chatting over breakfast, like any other day.

Another surprise was how easy their dynamic was after a few drinks became many drinks.  It greased the wheels of ‘how much is too much’ and any tension just…melted away.  They didn’t have to worry (hard) about censorship, and Sam was in awe of how Gabriel almost—blossomed?

He hadn’t thought it possible, but considering what he saw on a day-to-day basis, Gabriel was actually reserved around him.  The glow from the alpha, his outlook on life and his obvious flirtation made Sam feel more welcome than he’d felt before.

Sure, he’d never felt _un_ welcome, he’d never felt like a chore, but this Gabriel wanted to know him, wanted to be a part of the omega’s adventure and…if Sam was reading this correctly, could very, very well return his crush.  His attraction and his feelings.    
  
Half the time, Sam wondered if he was being humored because of the potential length of their journey, and because they _were_ friends—he had no doubts about that part.

Sam wanted more of the way Gabriel watched him tonight, the way his scent was reeling him in, and the way he looked as though he’d get into a bar fight with anyone who even glanced at Sam.  
  
There were so many lines, so much hesitation when they were on the ship: they didn’t want to break something that wasn’t broken.    
  
But...what if it could be _better_?  Sam knew it could be so much better...

The omega had never experienced this before.

Gabriel wasn’t a knothead, he was someone who had Sam’s welfare and best interests in mind, and alphas Sam encountered didn’t do that.  He should have known that from the first nightmare, from the the way Gabriel didn’t pity him, never pushed him, but now...maybe they could push things, Sam hoped.

One thing was for sure: Sam was downright ecstatic he had invited Gabriel out.

“No way!  You didn’t tell me about your close call in La Romana!” Gabriel burst out laughing, slapping his knee.

“Well, it’s not like I talk about when people ask me to take selfies, plus it was really early in the trip, I didn’t know what you’d think,” Sam grumbled and tossed back the shot in front of him.  “It’s weird.  I’m nobody special.”

“Bullshit,” Gabriel drew out the word with a slur in his tone.  “You’re a hero, kiddo, I told you before.  An omega icon.  Ya know…I bet people are wondering where you went.  Wouldn’t be the worst thing for you to smile for the camera, let ‘em know you’re still out there.  Givin’ ‘em hell.  I think the next selfie you’re asked for?  You need to do it.  It’s been a hot sec, the world’s curious.”

“I…” Sam felt a blush burn onto his already-pink cheeks.  “I’m not really a hero.  You give me too much credit.  I just didn’t kick the bucket.  I—”

“I’ve spent a lot of time with you, and you, Sam Winchester are a survivor.  You’re a role-model to those hurting, proof they can get through it,” the alpha emphasized, trying not to lean over the table.

With a snort, Sam ruefully whispered, “Is that why I have to crawl into your bed at night?”

“I like to think that’s you wanting to get into bed with me,” Gabriel returned with the waggle of eyebrows.  “You’re using the excuse of bad dreams and sleepwalking to seduce me.”

“Gabe!”  Sam’s eyes doubled at the accusation, wishing it was true and he had more courage, but that wasn’t the case.  “You can’t just say that!”  Luckily, the comment ended up turning things around, and Sam dissolved into drunken giggles in no time.

“I’ll say what I want!” he defended, grinning wildly at the excellent reaction he drew from the omega.  “And I think I’m right. You incubus, you.”

It was so ridiculous, Sam rolled his eyes and snorted, “Hah, in your dreams.”

“Yes, that may be a dream of mine,” Gabriel acknowledged, and only after did he realized that totally…just slipped out.

Now, Sam was eyeing him with interest, that he’d actually made a move rather than dodging it (no matter how unintentional).  And Gabriel wasn’t backing down either.

They were locked in this strange staring contest and it was growing…heated.

Shit.

It felt like every time they reacted this stalemate, one of them folded.  Except, neither of them was making an excuse right now, as time went on, Sam’s nose could pick up notes of that same heat reflected back in Gabriel’s gaze.  And the alpha watched as the omega worried his bottom lip.

Sam opened his mouth to say something, but just before he could get the words out—

“You two need some refills?”  The waitress was chipper and completely ruined the moment.

Luckily, Gabriel was quick to rebound and recover—much better than Sam was, he was internally cursing the interruption—and he easily said, “Another round of shots and a refill?”

“I don’t know if that’s a good idea—” Sam had began to say.

“Oh, it’s a _great_ idea,” Gabriel smoothly corrected and nodded at the woman, who grinned and went on her way.

Once they were alone, the alpha went ahead and shrugged.  “One more for the road?”

Sam was nervous, because that implied they were leaving and while, hell yes, he wanted to leave.  He wanted to be alone with Gabriel, there were so many things he wanted to do…he wasn’t sure if it was a good idea or not.  Sam didn’t know if he’d be able to hold himself back after another drink, not tonight, not anymore, and all these mixed signals were driving him insane and he'd break!

“Uh, sure,” Sam cleared his throat and decided.  “One more for the road.”

With a quirked eyebrow, Gabriel settled back into his seat and casually asked, “You okay?”

“Yeah!  I’m great!”  He tried to cover it up, and fast.  “I’m actually doing way better than I have been in a damn long time.”

“You know what?  I believe you.”  He glanced over to see if their drinks were on the way over yet, and seeing they still had privacy, Gabriel continued.  “You’ve come a long way, kid.  I’m not trying to psychoanalyze you or give you any grief but I think this trip was really good for you.”

 _‘You’re good for me,_ ’ Sam had to bite back the words, and covered them up with, “You’d be the one to know.  Since you’ve been dealing with me since day one.”  He shook his head and brushed away his hair, wishing he’d tied it back.  “Still don’t know how you managed that.”

“Never give yourself enough credit.”  It was softer.  Gabriel hadn’t meant to do that either, and changed it back around to their normal banter.  “After all, eye candy like you around all the time?  Feel like I should be payin’ you.”

“Like a hooker?”  He couldn’t help but snort and roll his eyes, “I’ve had enough of that for one lifetime,” but there was humor in his words.

Up until now, he’d never been able to say anything like that.  In passing.  The wound might be healing, and maybe Gabriel _was_ right—the trip was helping...along with the alpha.   He was crossing a bridge.

After he said it, he was almost concerned Gabriel would regret his own teasing, but he took it for what it was.  Maybe he even realized what Sam had, that the weight wasn’t as heavy, and he smiled at the omega.

“Yer a little shit, you know that?” Gabriel tsk’ed, and it was then their last call arrived.

Sam had anticipated it and reached into his jacket, grabbing more than enough cash for the bill and a very happy waitress.  She glowed when he told her to “Keep the change,” and have a nice night.

“What time is it, anyway?” the alpha wondered aloud, as he reached out and grabbed the shot.

“Time to finish these and then have a nightcap?”  Sam grinned widely as Gabriel looked confused.  “I know damn well where you keep your liquor stash.”

The alpha lit up with a, “Touché, Winchester.  Let’s finish these drinks and change the venue?”

“I like the sound of that.”  And he really did, Sam didn’t want the night to end, he wanted it to last forever.

\----------------------

Even though both men had a slight stumble in their step when they headed back to the boat, they were determined to keep the party going with a fifth of bourbon on the upper deck.  It was a gorgeous night, and while the tavern had been a fun escape, all the scents of sweat, smoke and others ended up making Sam feel claustrophobic as the evening wore on.

What they both had wanted was a different kind of bonding time, a chance to let loose and enjoy each other's company.

Which led them to swigging from a bottle they passed back and forth, kicked back in the deck chairs that were so close together their arms were touching.  The line of heat shared between their bodies was a constant reminder of a topic neither one would bring up in words, but the flirting just…intensified.

So much so, that it turned into affectionate contact.  Unprompted by anything but their own fleeting choice, for the first time.  
  
Sam’s legs were kicked up into Gabriel’s lap when he slouched back, feeling freaking awesome and on top of the world.  The alpha slung an arm across his shoulders, pulling him closer, just because he _wanted to_.  Sam wondered why they couldn’t always be like this…

“Well, I couldn’t really man the ship, for one,” Gabriel snickered, and that’s when Sam realized he was thinking out loud.

“Oh.  Good point.”  He grumbled, because, yeah, he was _totally_ drunk.

The alpha went on to say, “Doesn’t mean I wouldn’t enjoy it more in my downtime.”

“Why don’t we?” Sam decided to finally verbalize it.  “What’s holding us back?  Always?  There’s something, because _we’re_ something, but nothing ever happens to let us _be_ something.”

“Wow, you’re a wordsmith, Sammy—”

With an exasperated huff, Sam pivoted in his chair and faced Gabriel head on.  “And you’re doing it again!”

He noticed that Gabriel looked…spooked.  It didn’t make any sense.  But, fuck, Sam was going for it.  He didn’t care anymore!

“You constantly flirt with me.  You let me do things, get away with things, no one would dream of if they weren’t interested.  Your scent is an open book, saying you like me!  You give me an open invitation to sleep with you—”

Gabriel jerked back with, “Hey!  It doesn’t sound good when you say it like that!”

“You know what I mean!”  Sam threw his arms in the air.  “It’s always ‘almost.’  What is it?  Is it because I’m damaged goods?”

“Fuck no!  Why the hell would I think—?!”  He was completely flabbergasted by that idea, so Sam knew that wasn’t the issue.

Still, the omega narrowed his eyes and would continue to watch the alpha flounder until he got an answer out of him.

“You won’t even remember this tomorrow,” Gabriel muttered under his breath.  “Can we do this when we’re sober?”

“You won’t give me an answer when we’re sober.  We won’t even talk about it.  We’ll keep dancing around each other, like we _always_ do!” Sam growled in frustration.  “If you don’t like me, if you’re humoring me, just spit it out and get it over with!”

Ruefully, Gabriel stated, “I like you too much.  That’s the problem,” and his eyes fell.

Sam paused because…this was good, why did the alpha sound so defeated?  So pissed off at himself?  “Do you not want to?  I don’t get this.  Or get you.  We could have—”

“Stop,” Gabriel hand shot up and slapped over Sam’s mouth, and he pressed, “We’ll talk.  When we’re sober.”

By sheer force of will, Sam pried the hand away, took advantage of their proximity and grabbed the back of Gabriel’s neck—kissing him hard.

The alpha made a noise of surprise, and his lips were motionless against Sam’s for all of three seconds before he reciprocated.  And continued to take Sam’s breath away.

God, this was all Sam had wanted.  The alpha’s mouth moving against his, his tongue brushing against Sam’s with all the longing and hunger he could read in his scent—

Sam gasped and clutched at Gabriel’s jacket, trying to pull him closer.  The hand wrapped in the omega’s hair was a push-and-pull of tugging and sweet caresses, like Gabriel couldn’t figure out which impulse to give into.  Yet, the fact that they were _finally_ kissing with that passion Sam had locked up, now being released, now knowing he wasn’t alone—he couldn’t help the long moan that fell onto the alpha’s lips from the sweetest of victories.

He had no idea how much time had passed, when Gabriel abruptly pulled away he was almost completely draped over Sam.  They were panting, flushed and the sight of one another’s swollen lips was absolutely divine.  The omega was over the moon, until Gabriel opened his goddamn mouth for words instead of continuing to rile Sam up—

“Can’t do this drunk, kid—”  Gabriel tone was frustrated, bordering on angry.  Sam couldn’t tell if it was resentment directed towards him, the situation, or Gabriel himself—but he didn’t like the thought at all.

His own disappointment was evident in the form of an unintentional whine, grabbing Gabriel’s cheeks when he said, “You want this just as much as I do.  You can’t lie to—”

“ _Of_ fucking _course_ I do!”  The alpha tried to withdraw, but Sam trapped Gabriel with his legs, locking onto his hips with his knees.  Gabriel shuddered and decided, “Let’s just…go to bed.  We can stay together.  Will you let me do that, Sammy?  And…” he sharply inhaled when Sam’s fingers trailed down his neck, and continued moving down, “Dammit!  Focus!”

But Sam wasn’t.

Gabriel decided the only thing he could say was, “In the morning, if you still want this, wake me up and tell me then.  If I hear the words “keep going” bright and early?  Fuck, I will take you apart and make you scream for hours.”

All right, that was something that the omega could respond (and did) react to.

Sam’s eyes dilated even more and his mouth hung agape when he whispered, “You mean that, don’t you?”

“Damn right, I mean it.”  Gabriel took advantage of Sam’s shocked excitement and managed to wriggle away.  He hopped off the chair and extended his hand instead.  “C’mon.  It’s late, let’s just get some sleep and if you say those exact words to me in the morning, we’ll pick up right where we left off, okay?”

He took Gabriel’s hand and allowed himself to be pulled up, asking with a grin, “My place or yours?”

The alpha laughed, because there was never a question—Sam was much more comfortable inside his own four walls.  He let himself be led back down below deck, Gabriel’s hand warm and squeezing his until they were opening the door to his room.  Even though Sam had received a hell of a promise, that didn’t mean he was done quite yet.

This never happened.  Sam refused to let the chance pass him by.  Except, he turned his approach to something more innocent when they turned towards the bed.

Sam stopped Gabriel in his tracks by cuffing a thumb in his belt loop and ordered, “No,” before he turned the alpha around and pushed the jacket over his shoulders and tossed it to the floor.

“No, what?” Gabriel asked warily, but didn’t need to as the omega went to work swiftly unbuttoning the shirt and hauling it off with a fierce determination.

He pulled his own top layers off, knowing it would distract the alpha, instructing, “No dirty clothes in bed,” then went for Gabriel’s jeans.

Although gawking at Sam and his body had (as planned) rendered him momentarily stunned, the omega gunning below the belt made him jump back into action.  He stopped Sam’s hands, clearly not trusting him with both removing his jeans and the prospect of not wearing jeans.  It wasn’t like Sam had been… _subtle_ about staring at Gabriel’s very obvious erection and licking his lips.

“I know you,” Gabriel growled and pushed Sam backwards towards the bed.  “You aren’t going to stop until we’re both naked.  Now, I’m fine with sleeping in boxers, but I think getting there is something we can both accomplish by ourselves, right?”

Sam’s exhale was shaky, Gabriel’s unwavering grip turning him on even more.  When he responded, “Yeah, we can,” the alpha let him go, he stripped his clothes and was already horizontal, tossing back the sheets for Gabriel to join him, like a whirlwind.

He didn’t like that the alpha had turned around when he kicked off his socks and jeans, then slowly—apprehensively—walked backwards towards the bed.  When he was within Sam’s reach, he rectified it and hauled him down so he didn’t make the stupid choice to lay on top of the sheets or something again.

“Dammit!” Gabriel cursed as he hit the mattress and Sam was already on him, dragging his nose along the length of Gabriel’s neck and tasting the sheen of sweat.  “Sam, I thought I said—”

“We’ve done this before.  You already gave me permission,” he explained in a low rumble, teeth brushing Gabriel’s pulse point, making the alpha choke down a long moan.   “God, your scent, Gabriel—”

Just from these ministrations, Sam was suddenly strapped in for a journey of Gabriel’s arousal, his desire and straight-up need for the omega reaching an all-time high.  It was primitive, it was wild and it was absolute.  The alpha in Gabriel was alive with urgent yearning, and Sam was instantly dripping slick.

Before, because of the alcohol, he’d been wet enough to dampen his boxers, but these scents—his thirst shot through the roof and there was no holding back.  

Sam quivered and desperately latched around Gabriel’s waist, his hips rocking of their own accord against the alpha’s leg.  He filled his lungs with as much of Gabriel’s scent as he could, whimpering out, “H-how the fuck are you holding back right now—?”  He kissed the corner of Gabriel’s mouth, because he needed to hear his answer, not cover it.  “Jesus, can’t you scent it?  How wet I am for you?  I want, no—I _need_ your—”

“You have no idea what you’re doing to me,” Gabriel was gruff, hoarse with lust and grabbed Sam’s chin to force his attention.  “Are you trying to drive me insane?  Torture me?  Keeping my hands and my cock to myself it—”

“Then give it to me.”  Sam wasn’t above begging, his hand reached downward to brush against the alphas and—shit—from the barest touch?  Feeling his dick now pulsing and hard, the omega’s mind flew to all the things it could do while inside him.

Gabriel had to hold him back as he aggressively shook his head and hissed, “You’re killing me.  You’re fucking gorgeous, perfect, so goddamn sexy—and you deserve better.  Can’t you understand that?!  Yes, I want this!  But the right way!  We crossed a bridge, we know that th-this is mutual and, _oh God_ …”

Sam had actually managed to wrap his hand around Gabriel’s cock, enthralled by the feeling and the weight in his hand but…now the alpha’s words were hitting home.  Shit.  Still, he indulged a moment longer, he realized Gabriel was right, and Sam wanted to cheat if only for another second—pumping Gabriel’s cock while his own hips rutted against the alpha’s thigh.

Gasping, the omega released—knowing that he had to, he fucking had to—and rolled to his back.  “You’re too...good,” Sam decided pathetically, not remembering the last time he’d been turned on like this, hell, this was probably the most he’d wanted anyone in his life… “Fucking hell!  Why do you have to be like this?”

Gabriel was trying to gather his own bearings, even going as far as to punch the mattress.  “No idea.  You bring it out of me.  Anyone else?  I’d say we’re both drunk, we’ve gotta history, it’s fair game—but you…” he hesitated with the hushed, “You worth so much more.  You messed up my head.  I’m on cloud nine, knowin’ you want me, it’s obviously, painfully mutual.  But I refuse to let our first time be a sloppy, drunk fuck.  Is that what you want?”

When posed like that, Sam admitted, “No…” then slowly moved back, hoping he wasn’t overstepping a boundary when he returned to Gabriel’s chest.  In the way he’d normally lay, rather than being forward.  Hopefully, this familiarity would calm them both. “I was just pushing for now because I’m…really worried there won’t be a later.”

The sincere vulnerability (which also happened to be struck by fear) led Gabriel to follow Sam’s example.  He pulled the omega closer, like how they slept, trying to ignore his raging boner.  “So long as you want me tomorrow?  Or the next day?  Or whenever you’re ready?  You can bet your ass there will be a later.  I’m kind of crazy about you, first and foremost.  Secondly,” he chuckled and dared to kiss Sam’s forehead, “I’ve been goin’ crazy whenever we have those so-called ‘almost’ moments.  Want you somethin’ awful.”

The verbalized words helped Sam so much.  He could feel himself relax against Gabriel, the rollercoaster of back and forth and his many attempts at seduction and a long day (plus the booze) now wearing on him.  No matter what situation, Gabriel’s scent always centered him.

“I…I’m glad this happened,” Sam decided with a nod to accompany his thoughts.  “Even though we’re not really happening yet, we _will_.  Want it so bad.  Never thought I would again, you know?”

There was a moment where the alpha seemed to lock up, Sam felt every movement from his position and worried if he’d said something wrong.  Except the omega knew, drunk or not, the truth was never wrong, was it?

“I’m honored,” Gabriel began with a hint of mischief.  Yet it changed when he went on to, “I figured you’d never wanted to deal with alphas again either.  Part of the reason I didn’t get my hopes up.  Of friggin course, you’re everything I want, but there’s no way I’m gonna pressure you on a goddamn thing when you’re not looking.  I’m your guide.  Ruining your dream?  If I selfishly made a move and destroyed it—it’d make me sick.”

Sam understood, he realized there were a lot of factors that came into play (especially from Gabriel’s point of view) with their situation and any blooming _them_.  But all Sam thought about tonight was his feelings and making something happen.  The alpha, on the other hand, was still caught up in the fine print, which was…admirable.

“I can get another guide,” Sam decided, words slurred with liquor and fatigue, “Can’t get another you.”

“Heh, ain’t that that truth?  Let’s pass out.  Remember our un-safeword for tomorrow if you still want it…”  There was a hint of hope that resided in the alpha, his scent was begging tomorrow to happen and Sam wished it was tomorrow right now.

“Keep going,” the omega pitched it in a downright filthy way, a whisper against Gabriel’s ear then lightly drew the alpha’s earlobe between his teeth.

Sam took pleasure in the shudder that shot through the alpha’s body, as well as the grunt of frustration.  “Yep.  That,” Gabriel confirmed.  “Let’s sleep and get to _that_ , huh?”

He wrapped himself around Gabriel even closer, happy to have the alpha in his bed and in his arms without sleepwalking his way there and settled in.  “I’d love it.  See you in the morning.”

“Yeah,” the husky timbre was enough to make Sam purr, because while he had to wait, everything was okay in the meantime.  Especially the alpha underneath him who sighed out, “God, if you could smell yourself…G’night, Sammy,” the warm words easily lulling him to sleep.


	4. Chapter Three

Normally, Gabriel would sleep like a baby when he was laying next to and/or underneath Sam.  Tonight was a horse of a different color.  The alpha’s head was jam-packed full of questions, of worry, hope and endless spank-bank material.    
  
More than anything, the tossing and turning (metaphorical, of course—Sam had him pinned down) revolved around his worry on Sam’s waking reaction.

Gabriel had tried so damn hard to de-escalate things each time they ramped up, but what if it hadn’t been enough?  What if Sam felt taken advantage of?

He was praying the kid said those magic words, to keep going, that everything would be okay and ( _jesusfuckingchrist_ ) Gabriel could do all the things he fantasized about.  Making Sam writhe and beg for him…but was it too much?

It wasn’t like they’d only recently hopped on the boat.  They’d known each other for months.  They’d been dancing around this (as Sam had complained about) for a long-ass time.  The omega hadn’t shown any apprehension.  If anything, he was pissed  _Gabriel_ wasn’t more gung-ho!

Oh, if Sammy knew exactly how gung-ho he was…

Gabriel hadn’t been joking when he compared last night to torture.

It had been a dream come true wrapped in the nightmare drowning in shots, with the lingering question: is this really what Sam wanted?  Or was it a lonely omega taking what he could get on the lonelier adventure?  Gabriel had been a constant.  Sam trusted him and he refused to break that trust.  Hell, he even put it above his own wants: Gabriel wanted Sam with everything in him, he always had, since the moment he met the omega…

Now, as Sam began to stir, it was the moment of truth.  Gabriel had to school his feature, focus on the fact Sam was here and there current position wasn’t _necessarily_ out of the ordinary.  So things were okay.  He needed to hone in on that feeling because his scent couldn’t get all wonky.

Sam usually moved before he spoke or opened his eyes—today was no different.

His arms and legs squeezed Gabriel tighter, his nose grazed his neck and he sighed happily.  These were mornings the alpha would never take for granted.

This morning in particular, though, Gabriel took a more active role.

He gently (slowly, at first) rubbed tender circles along the bare skin of Sam’s back, coaxing him into consciousness.  And the omega liked that, very much.  He nestled back into the crook of Gabriel’s neck, and actually—like it was natural and mundane—kissed his shoulder sweetly before relaxing.

Gabriel had to force himself not to fumble in his motions, something about this was so…domestic?  Fucking perfect?  Everything that he wanted?  Damn…

Reciprocating, Sam's hand laying on Gabriel’s hip began to stroke languidly up and down the alpha’s flank.  Sam’s hands were so big, Gabriel had to focus on the affectionate part of the effortlessness, because, yeah, every once in a while Sam’s wrist would brush his nipple.    
  
The alpha couldn’t help that he was a loaded gun!  Especially not after last night—

Sam hummed and spoke his first words of the morning: “Mm, this is nice.”

Sure, it wasn’t ‘keep going,’ but there was always a chance the next thing would be.

“How did I lure you down here this time?” Sam inquired playfully, and that’s when Gabriel’s other fear (the one that _wasn’t_ the freak-out) came true.

His little lightweight didn’t remember a thing.  Godfuckingdammit!

Now, it was Gabriel's turn to play it smart, shrug it off, make sure things remained…whatever they were.  Even though he was bummed out, he couldn’t let it show.  He’d take his cues off Sam, and what _he_ remembered.    
  
Which meant the alpha needed to fish and figure it out.  “Heh, with your sexy moves, dancing on the tables and—”

“Stop.  I know that’s bullshit,” Sam snorted out a laugh, and this was the prime time to dare, knowing the truth was muddy…

Gabriel took a risk, kissing the top of Sam’s head and garnering no reaction (which was the _best_ reaction) prompted him to ask, “What’s the last thing you remember?”

Luckily, Sam wasn’t in any mood to move.  He enjoyed simply laying together, and if he didn’t get up, Gabriel physically could not leave.  So the alpha’s choice to stay wasn’t really a choice—even though he would chose Sam, time and time again.

The elongated silence equated to the omega thinking.  He finally came up with, “We left the tavern.  We came back here.  And…I think the last thing I remember was us drinking on the deck and chatting?  Did I pass out on you?  I’ve got a helluva headache.  Please don’t tell me I did anything stupid,” he finally glanced up to Gabriel, and the alpha knew Sam was looking for a tell.

Gabriel wouldn’t give him one.  Instead, he insisted, “You didn’t do anything stupid.  You were _quite_ awake until the time we turned in for the night.  It was fun,” he decided to say, “and something we both needed.”

“Huh.”  Sam pursed his lips and paused.  “I haven’t blacked out in a damn long time.  Then again, I haven’t drank in a damn long time, so it makes sense.”  He laughed and let his hand rest a bit lower than Gabriel’s hip.  It would have been taunting _if_ the kid remembered.  “Glad I’ve got you to watch my dumbass, right?”

“Yeah—”  Well, that came out more like a croak.  Gabriel had to switch it up, save himself, and wickedly smirked, “You may not have danced on tables at the tavern, but what if I told you you gave me a lap dance back here?”

The omega cracked up, and lifted himself off Gabriel to grin down at him.  “No way in hell.  If I tried to give _anyone_ a lap dance, I’d end up smothering them or knocking them over.  Or both.  You look like you’re in pretty good shape, so _clearly_ I didn’t kill you and—” his face fell.

Gabriel tilted his chin and enjoyed the view of Sam hovering over him, all shirtless and sleep-ruffled.  
  
Except, Sam’s gaze wasn’t on Gabriel.  Not really.  He was zeroed in on Gabriel’s neck and Sam’s hand shot up, thumb instantly sweeping across a patch of skin.  One that made the alpha shudder because it was sensitive and—

Oh.  Shit.

Sam asked with a lilt of distress, “Did I do that?” barely trading his glance for the alpha’s eyes instead of his neck.

He had no idea the extent of the damage, but knew there was no way around the topic when his neck was obviously so tender.  Sam’s teeth had gotten rough in retrospect...  
  
With a bold laugh, Gabriel shrugged and said, “Well, unfortunately I don’t have a mirror.  However!  If your question has to do with me running off into the night for sexcapades with a local, the answer is no.  In fact, there were no sexcapades with _anyone_ , local or not, last night.”

Gabriel decidedly didn’t like the shame written on the kid’s face, so he went further to explain, “We went to the tavern, we had a nightcap back here, we went to sleep.  Sammy, we had an awesome night, I _promise—_ anything that’s fuzzy doesn’t matter.  Or at least to me.  I…” Gabriel told a brief hint of the unedited truth, “I really, really had a blast kicking back and getting a little closer, getting to know you a little better.  Everything, our own party was fun, too.  You think too much.”

He could visibly see the tension evaporate from Sam’s shoulders as he blew out a heavy sigh and closed his eyes.  The slight smile that upturned on his lips made Gabriel want to kiss him more than friggin life itself, but that option vanished just as quickly as Sam’s anxiety had.

“I’m…glad,” the omega decided, and looked as though he would actually close the distance himself.  “Sorry I drank like some frat douche and can’t remember everything.  But you’re right, what I do remember…is awesome.  We should do that more often,” Sam suggested with a soft smile.

Hell yeah, Gabriel wanted to do it more often.  What he _really_ wanted to do, was the good stuff Sam forgot.  Fuckin’ a.

He went ahead and brushed Sam’s hair away from his face, his sweet, innocent, gorgeous fucking face, and tried to mirror the sincerity in the omega’s glow.  “Yeah, totally.  How about I make you a greasy, hangover-cure breakfast?  You can lay down for a bit longer.  Recover. I’ll bring it straight to your door?” Gabriel winked, and Sam seemed hesitant to withdraw.

It looked like the omega enjoyed his moment of towering over Gabriel, staring at a mark that even the alpha hadn’t caught a glimpse of.  Sam’s eyes continued to flicker back and forth, so he really must have been impressed by something.  Gabriel was dying to know what all the fuss was about...

Eventually, Sam rolled off him and collapsed back down onto the mattress.  “Thanks.”  As Gabriel moved to leave, Sam stopped him and emphasized, “I don’t only mean for breakfast.  Thanks for going on an adventure with me last night.  Thanks for warding off knotheads who eyed me.  Thanks for…giving in to my ‘nightcap’ request, even though that was the thing that did me in, in the end.”  Sam was positive energy and high spirits, despite feeling crappy, “…Really wish I remembered everything.”

He wanted to scream, ‘No shit, I wish you did too!’ but instead, Gabriel grabbed Sam’s hand and kissed his knuckles with a dramatic, “You’re welcome, milady!  Who knows?  Sometimes those memories come back.  You’ve only been awake for a handful'a minutes.  But don’t think _too_ hard, you’ll hurt yer head.”

Gabriel hopped up out of bed, Sam rolling his eyes with a halfhearted bitchface and assured him, “My head hurts without the thinking, thank you, sir.”

“I’ll grab the painkillers, the food, and watch out for any dragons that need slaying,” he promised with a quirked grin.  “Relax, kiddo.  Be back soon.”

He vamoosed as swiftly as humanly possible because now, in that bed…all he could see was the memory of Sam, needy and wet underneath him, begging and luring him in.  It was horrible and beautiful all at the same time.  While this was far from the worst thing to happen, it was something that deepened the cracks threatening his sanity while Gabriel was trying so damn hard to keep himself together.

The alpha paused as he washed his hands before cooking breakfast.  That was when he caught a glimpse of his reflection in the mirror above the sink.

Well, hot damn.

Sam had been gawking for a reason.

He flicked the loose water from his fingers before grabbing the hand towel and leaned in.  As he examined the mark, there was no denying what it was.  
  
After Gabriel admitted it was them, and only them together all night—Sam knew it belonged to him, too.  The gaudy bruises weren't as much reddened hickeys as they were blue and purple teeth outlines.  They covered a good expanse of his neck— _undeniably_ from a moment of intimacy.

Gabriel wondered what the omega would chalk it up to?  What he would think it was, how he’d justify it?  Yes, Sam had accidentally sleep-sucked the tiniest, itty-bitty pinkish brush against his neck before, but he highly doubted the omega was ignorant enough to believe he sleep- _ravished_ Gabriel.  

Huh.  Maybe all wasn’t lost?  Maybe the pieces would come back to Sam, and Gabriel wouldn’t have to sweat it out, or worse: be forced to make an aggressive move that may make or break them.

Time would tell.  Sam had seen his masterpiece, he now had a prompt that would lead him in the right direction.  Maybe even spark some feelings that would give way to memories of last night.  Sam getting handsy and... _mouthy_ actually gave them the best fighting chance in one of the worst-case morning situations.  
  
And right now?  It was time for Sam to stew and for Gabriel to make them breakfast.  Everything else would either fall into place, or be the straw that killed the camel (Gabriel the goddamn camel), _something_ was gonna give—it’d be soon, too.

\------------------

Much to Gabriel’s frustration, Sam’s memories of that drunken night never became crisp.  And much to Sam’s disappointment, Gabriel never further explained the blatant mark on his neck.

Over a week passed, and while they were happy in each other’s presence there was this elephant in the room.  Even though they were left with some unanswered questions, they’d also passed small hurdle.  Maybe, just maybe it could be considered a win?  Small (really small) affections, which began as playful interactions and jabs, turned into _normal_ things.

Sam and Gabriel both brushed it off as though nothing was different, they were internally rejoicing.  Every little graze against each other that turned into an arm lingering on the other’s waist—for no reason other than they wanted to—became commonplace.  Gabriel was unafraid of fixing Sam’s crazy mane when the wind had nearly whipped his hair tie into the ocean.  
  
Still, that’s as far as they’d go, there was still an invisible wall.

Neither would make that final push beyond it!  And it was becoming maddening.  
  
It also affected them differently.  After a while, Sam noticed things in the alpha that began to make him nervous.

Gabriel, while happy and eager to please, always the five star host, seemed to be drifting.  Before, he’d openly invited Sam into his bed to keep the nightmares away, to preemptively stop him from sleep-walking into the ocean.  Before, he’d mention or suggest it _every night_.  

Now, the words never came.  Sam wondered if he was a hindrance?  If he’d overstayed his welcome?  At the same time, Gabriel would unwittingly smack obnoxious kisses on Sam’s forehead.  His pats on the back would linger and drift.  Like he wanted to do more, but couldn’t.

Sam was in the same position.

He attempted to verbalize his feelings, but always fell short.  Now, he also had to map out the whens and wheres of Gabriel’s schedule.  Even if Sam was tempted to sneak a peek at Gabriel’s morning routine (he woke up earlier by the day and knew he could get away with it) feeding his addiction would probably lead to him shoving Gabriel down onto the deck and taking advantage of his lack of clothing.

Sam imagined (in great detail) how it would happen a million different ways.  This was the first time his sex drive had returned since the abduction.  The first time he’d had a sex drive while picturing an _alpha_.

It wasn’t a thirst he could quench on land.  Sam would never be with someone he didn’t know, that he didn’t trust.  They’d arrived in another port town, this one more isolated so Sam was able to really dive in and explore during the day, but he’d come back earlier at night.    
  
They had plans, Sam gaining confidence to hit up a bigger city soon, so one of the items on his agenda was looking for local clothes to blend into the next port.  The current rural area close enough, so the townies would recognize the style and assume he was from the country, and the tourists wouldn’t pay him any mind, assuming the same.  
  
Although, with his current predicament, with the steps forward and back—Sam felt like things between him and Gabriel were hanging in the balance.  He wanted to spend more time with the alpha, try to figure out exactly what was going on with him.  While he didn’t want to smother him, Sam was continually trying to read him.    
  
Attempting to figure out what made him tick.  At the same time, was Sam trying to dismantle the bomb, or detonate it?  He needed a reaction, he needed something—   
  
With each passing day, his fixation on Gabriel grew.

The alpha had to notice it, right?  
  
He even made a point to call Sam out at dinner, wondering, “So are you disappointed or ecstatic?” with an impish grin, sliding a plate in front of him.

“Wha—?” Sam asked dumbly, squinting at the elusiveness.

Gabriel was a lot of things, but roundabout wasn’t in his nature unless he had a damn good reason.

The alpha flopped into the chair across from him with his own plate and gestured to his neck.  “Your mark of shame’s pretty much healed.  Don’t pretend you haven’t been watching it,” he leaned in, smirk spreading further, “So which is it?”

Goddamn him, Sam blushed.

He actually, like a _teenager_ , dropped his eyes to his plate and began tearing into the roast chicken, feeling the heat rise to his cheeks.  He snapped, “Shut up,” and began shoveling food down savagely.

While Gabriel cackled and joined him, Sam knew he was right.  That he _had_ been watching it.  Sam’s initial bafflement over seeing what he’d done turned into intrigue at the fact that, somehow, Gabriel allowed it, and Sam wished more than anything he remembered the night.    
  
So seeing what could have been a shot at ‘them,’ he’d lost during a liquor-induced blur, almost gone?  Sam wanted to slap a fresh one right back on Gabriel’s neck, one he’d bask in every second of.

How…alpha, of Sam.

“You’re adorable,” Gabriel cooed at the end of dinner and collected the plates.  “Now I know. The best way to shut you up is mention the things you can do with your mouth…” and as he passed, he grabbed underneath Sam’s chin and tilted his head up, just enough to kiss his forehead.  “I love all these tricks I learn about you.”

“I hate you,” Sam groaned, but his eyes remained on Gabriel because—

If you cropped that small interaction out of their day, played it back for an unbiased audience, one wouldn’t hesitate to think they were together.  That this was an alpha, toying with _his omega_ about getting a little rough in bed.  Except, in real-life context?  It couldn’t be further from the truth.

Sam _wanted_ his life to be that clip show.  He wanted that with Gabriel, he had no idea how to make it happen.  He was so confused and felt helpless.

He wondered if he was floundering because he had no idea how to court alphas.  After all, Sam truly had never been attracted to alphas before, let alone this badly—Gabriel changed everything.  Sam had dated betas, courted women, occasional slept with men of his designation, but never sought a relationship with them.  This whole situation was foreign, and he was even more ill-equipped after his experience in the trafficking ring.  
  
Yet, he wanted Gabriel in an overwhelming way he _couldn’t_ ‘get over.’  He was in too deep.

Maybe he needed to take a chance?    
  
Once Sam set down his beer he said, “I…haven’t been sleeping the best lately.”

Gabriel peered over his shoulder from the sink and caught his gaze for a second, honest-to-goodness _worry_ in his tone when he asked, “Are you having nightmares again, kiddo?”

“No, not nightmares,” Sam quickly corrected, because concern wasn’t what he wanted to come out of his plan.  “Just sleep better when you’re next to me.  I’m gonna end up coming to you one of these nights, I think.”

Gabriel’s back went rigid and Sam’s throat constricted because…had he _already_ unintentionally messed this up?  What had he done that made Gabriel hot and cold about what used to come so easily?

Quickly, Sam amended, “It’s not, like, an order from your boss, or anything,” and tried to laugh it off, “I’m sorry, I ask too much of you, I—”

“Hey, it’s no prob,” the alpha assured and turned around.  He stalked over to Sam and ruffled his hair, promising, “I told you before, I sleep good too.  Now the only question is…” he wiggled his eyebrows, “Your place or mine?”

The wide smile on Sam’s face blossomed instantly, because he’d missed this, that steadfast-familiar question.  “You’re doing me a favor, you choose.”

“You know it’s always gonna be yours,” Gabriel chuckled, “I’ll be cleaning until bed.  Meet ya then?”

“Yeah,” Sam agreed and had been planning to go to shore anyway.  “See you tonight.”

\--------------------------

To say Gabriel was relieved was an understatement.  Falling asleep next to Sam easily made his Top Ten favorite places to be in the world.  Since there weren’t many places Gabriel hadn’t visited, that was saying a lot.  
  
Yeah—holding the omega felt right.  He’d held off on his normal, forward proposals, just because he didn’t know where Sam’s head was at when it came to their drunken shenanigans.

If Sam knew what happened.  If he regretted it.  If seeing Gabriel’s neck freaked him out.

While it was healing, the alpha had gone out of his way and attempted to look for shirts with higher necklines.  For collars that could be popped—even though he looked like a _giant_ douche nozzle.  He thought that it would make Sam feel at ease if he couldn’t see it, but the more it faded, the more the omega seemed…disappointed?  Which was the opposite of what he’d predicted.  
  
Which actually opened up a whole other different world.

Hell, if Gabriel had confirmation of his theory, of said disappointment, he’d be on cloud nine!  But that was all he had.  Theories.  What ifs.  Nothing was concrete anymore.

Tonight, though, something happened in Sam’s sleep that had _never_ happened before.

Gabriel had been awoken from the omega’s thrashing when he’d had nightmares—those were easy to soothe.  He liked to think he had it down to a science, Gabriel would pull him in, and slowly whispering supportive words to wake him up.  Sam was always better off when Gabriel woke him up rather than letting him ride it out.

This occasion?  This instance?

No way in hell would the alpha even try to stir Sam.

Gabriel was jarred by the sound of his name, and thought perhaps Sam had a nightmare.  That he’d been a shitty alpha and missed it.  
  
He was dead wrong.

When Gabriel woke up, Sam’s brow was damp with dewy sweat.  His breath racing and his body moving.

By ‘moving,’ Gabriel meant the omega was both rutting against the mattress, and arching back against Gabriel’s pelvis.  Somehow Sam had tugged Gabriel with him, and went from being the little spoon, to sandwiched between Gabriel and the bed.  

Holy. _Fuck_.

The way Sam was moving those hips, the way he ground down against Gabriel had him hard in an instant.  This wasn’t supposed to happen!

Never, in the countless nights that Gabriel had spent with Sam, had the omega had a wet dream!

But, oh, this was the _definition_ of wet.  It was sloppy, delicious, and Gabriel could feel Sam’s slick soaked through his boxers and now dampening the alpha’s own.  Gabriel had to choke back his own moans, stop himself from gasping and grabbing Sam—because his cock was slotted perfectly between Sam’s ass cheeks, now just as wet.  It was too much—

The worst-best-most-amazing _and_ awful part of it all?

Sam’s words were audible, despite the pillow in his face.

He was begging, “ _Gabriel—_ y-yeah, knot me, _please_ ,” in the most filthy way, and the alpha had no idea what to do!

The omega’s words, Gabriel’s name on Sam’s lips as he repeated it like a mantra, while bucking and grinding like a goddamn sex machine—Gabriel was terrified he was gonna end up blowing his load all over Sam’s back.  He’d never been more at odds about anything in his life!

God, Gabriel was captivated.  His nose filled with the sweetest scents, his ears honed in to the dirty words spilling from the omega’s mouth, the show unfolding before him.  The insanity of it all _wasn’t_ that Sam was having a sex dream: it was the fact that Sam was dreaming about _Gabriel_.

This meant that all his drunken words, wants, needs, were true.

And as Sam came, untouched, still moaning his name before his eyes…Gabriel’s jaw dropped and he swallowed down his own sighs of pleasure at the sight.

There was a split-second of fear—Sam could very well wake up from his orgasm.  He could startle awake from the euphoria, feel himself dripping wet.  Then be met with Gabriel’s throbbing cock practically fucking his thighs and ass cheeks, and everything would be ruined!  

Gabriel was not into banging unconscious people.  Still, if the kid came to right now, this sight would prove very, very damning and creepy as all hell!

With his heart in his throat, Gabriel felt relief (even better than getting off) set into his bones when Sam collapsed down against the mattress.

Goddammit, that was a close call.  All of ‘em, they kept getting closer!  This couldn’t keep happening, maybe this was the wake-up call Gabriel needed because how could he deny what was directly in front of him?

Little did Sam know, he was the greatest cocktease on the face of the planet.  He was either too drunk or too asleep every time it happened!

Gabriel was left with the question: should he leave?  Should he pretend that he slept through this and they _both_ wake up a mess?  If he did leave, Sam would probably assume he scared him off.

The alpha ended up deciding to sleep the rest of the night, leave his scent in the bed and wake up to follow his normal routine.  Sam usually slept in a little later, maybe he’d even think that his wet dream happened while Gabriel was off and away?  Who knew what Sam told himself, it wasn’t Gabriel’s problem!    
  
One thing was for sure: it wasn’t fair.  Sam fucking slept like a baby, while the alpha was being driven to the brink and losing his mind!

\----------------------------

Sam was walking through the hallway on his way to the upper deck when he turned the corner and something hit him—

Well, it was more like a punch to the gut.

Normally, the tangy scent of salt encompassed the entire boat, if they were near land—the native scents would begin to seep towards the Amphitrite.  Within these hallways, if the doors had accidentally shut from a sea breeze, their own scents had the tendency to get trapped.

Yes, it was a fact that Sam was goddamn addicted to Gabriel’s scent, and he couldn’t get enough of it.  To the weirdo point of wandering into the alpha’s room during the day, when he was steering the yacht or mapping the course, the only place that it truly lingered was on the bedding—

Right now, Sam had to grab the edge of the door because around this corner Gabriel’s heady scent was strong and slammed into him.  It was even heavier, more mouth-watering than usual: it was the alpha’s spiked arousal.  Sam was scenting Gabriel’s lust, and it had him panting and savoring every breath of it he could experience because it was fucking amazing…

Yeah, he’d scented once or twice, the barest stirring before, but those paled in comparison to this.

God, the scent was fresh and it took everything in the omega not to follow the trail like a Bloodhound.  Sam so badly hungered to scent it from the source—

This brought up questions....

What had sparked this intense bought of arousal?  Could Sam dare to think that because he was the only one on this ship, maybe Gabriel was feeling this way about him?  Would that be too much to hope for?

It was so difficult to read the alpha!  He was the best actor, flirt _and_ tease in the world.

Sam knew not all of it was a lie.  Right here, right now, and even as the scent began to get swept away in the wind, he’d just experienced something mind-blowing.  And so fucking real.

There were ways to get under Gabriel’s skin, yes, Sam had been able to do it before—albeit in smaller doses—he _could_ do it again.  Hopefully, in the big way he’d need to make an...impression.

Maybe the alpha needed to be pushed over the edge, to the point where Gabriel couldn’t hold back anymore?

Out of undying curiosity and his own desire, Sam ended up following the quickly-fading trail.

He sniffed the air further down the shut-in corridor and the path ended right in front of Gabriel’s bedroom.

Closing his eyes, Sam had to bite his lip to keep from whimpering.  He could easily picture Gabriel _just_ beyond the door—jacking off, thinking about Sam…  
  
Instead of trying to keep himself together.  Like Gabriel probably _was_.  The alpha never gave into desire, but the fleeting image Sam had created was mesmerizing…

This gave Sam options, now that Gabriel was closer to snapping than ever.

Holy hell, all he wanted to pound on the door, to push into the room and kiss the alpha for all he was worth!

Now just wasn’t the time.  Soon…but not now.

As Sam retreated and headed back to the deck, he had no idea that his own intense, billowing lust had slipped under the door and _into_ Gabriel’s room.  

Sam had no idea that scent had left Gabriel _reeling_ and unable to hold back from touching himself any longer.  

Sam’s sober scent reacting to his and transforming...fuck, it was something Gabriel never knew he needed so badly.  That would affect him and make him lose all self-control. ...Gabriel’s knot sure did, swelling in his hand embarrassingly fast, and while the window was open to clear the air it was next to impossible to hide the scent of cum.

Luckily, Gabriel was a professional and it was laundry day.


	5. Chapter Four

It was getting to the point where neither of them could stand it.

Gabriel had never wanted anyone like he wanted Sam.  Not in his entire life.  The omega was calling out to him, be it on accident—it didn't matter, it was a siren’s song that had caught him: hook, line and sinker.  
  
His desire wasn’t purely sexual.  That would've made things easier and, sure, he wanted nothing more than to fuck Sam through the mattress because of the endless predicaments that kept piling up—   
  
Except...Gabriel wanted so much more—he wanted _everything_  with the omega.  That’s where the whole ‘this never happened’ thing came in.

Gabriel was straight-up head over heels.  Yet, he wasn’t supposed to be.  Gabriel had actually made a promise (to two people!  He’d been an idiot!) things would remain platonic with Sam.  Sam, himself, had been the one to ask Gabriel if he knew what happened to him and maybe...  

Maybe all these hesitation stemmed from their casual conversations.  When Sam laughingly told him he wasn’t interested in alphas, maybe he wanted to mention it offhand, to get it out of the way.  Because the omega was bold, to the point, completely a-fucking-mazing.  Of friggin course, if that horrific event happened to anyone Gabriel would understand swearing off alphas, and perhaps sex in general.

Sam may have said that in the beginning, but it appeared everything had changed.  He wasn’t acting according to his words.  No, everything in him, his body language, his scents (oh, dear Lord, those sweet, sweet _scents_ ) his drunken actions, his wet dreams, screamed for Gabriel to take.  

The bitch of it all was that it was Sam’s word over his actions.  Gabriel wouldn’t make a move until he had stone-cold-sober invitation.  And Gabriel was at a loss…

What he didn't know, was Sam wasn’t in better shape.

The omega was constantly running it over in his head, how to make this work.  How to propel his intent into actions.  How 'the right way' of approaching them as a couple would even begin.  He wanted it, and Sam knew baiting Gabriel wouldn’t work anymore.  The alpha’s will-power and self-control was stronger than Sam, stronger than _anything_ he did.

In reality, for what Sam set out to do in the first place—his seeing the world dream—he couldn’t have asked for a better traveling companion.  Sam had no idea things would end up like this…

Sam was scrambling to find the holes in the narrative, to figure out what was holding Gabriel back.  While there were reasons, their attraction and chemistry was undeniable and should trump those small details.

The omega kept returning to his first gut-instinct.  That...maybe it _was_ all the nightmares, the PTSD crap, that made him look like he couldn’t handle an alpha.  Sam had opened himself up, raw and vulnerable, told Gabriel he was damaged goods in ways even the media didn’t know during those late nights.    
  
Still, Gabriel wasn’t a liar and he hadn't blinked or treated Sam differently for a second.

He’d called him strong.  He’d called Sam beautiful—even a hero—and when Sam let him in on his fear of alphas, Gabriel had vowed to never to make him uncomfortable.

Fuck, the definition of uncomfortable had changed drastically because of Gabriel!

Now, Sam’s version of discomfort was soaking through his underwear and swim trunks when he was around the alpha.  If Gabriel didn’t want him to go through this?  He’d make a move!  Or rather, in a perfect world, Sam may.  Gabriel, for all his off-kilter jokes, for all his flirting, his casual touches, he was so (too) damn respectful.

Sam never anticipated having this problem.

Everything broke in Mykonos.

When Sam made his trek back to the yacht, he returned spiriting.  He could feel lingering filth as he moved.  It itched, he needed _it off—_

Sam needed a damn shower, and he needed it now!  He’d been in the rural marketplace on the island away from the tourist attractions, exploring.  Thankfully this was one of those places where no one knew his name and face.  But this crowd... _shit_ , the locals considered omegas objects, arm candy: the lesser.  He should have invited Gabriel to come along with him, like he had in the past visiting these places.

There had been a man, an alpha, who sniffed him out right away.

He wasted no time brashly introducing himself, hot on Sam's heels as he visited the merchandise stand.  Eventually, the dick ended up grabbing him and scenting him without permission.  To the point he _marked him_ before Sam knew what was happening.

He saw red.

These days, Sam didn’t cower in the face of knotheads: he got pissed.    
  
He sucker-punched the guy, snapping his neck back at an unnatural—yet satisfying—angle, before he crashed to the ground.  Blood spurt from his nose like a waterfall and someone held Sam back.

That's when he realized…this _wasn’t_ his country.

He could get in trouble for assault, it wouldn't be looked at as self-defense, he didn't have those rights here—

Sam escaped his restraints, ducked out of sight and rushed back for the docks.  He knew right then and there, they’d need to make a quick getaway.

The moment his feet touched the Amphitrite, he called out to Gabriel.  “Hey!  Did you fuel up?  We need to take off, I kinda—”  Sam searched around but couldn’t find the man.

Until Gabriel was _right there_ , grabbing his arms with an unfamiliar alpha-rage in his eyes, demanding, “Who touched you?!  I’ll kill them!  Did they—”

“Dammit!  You scared me!  Yeah, I know, their scent's all over me and I need a damn shower!  I KO’d the guy, so we gotta go!” Sam urged, but Gabriel hadn’t withdrawn, he hadn’t let go, and his breath was coming out in uneasy puffs.  “Gabe…now _you’re_ scaring me, what’s going on?”

Something finally got through to him, but not only did Gabriel release Sam, he also turned tail and ran.  He rushed up to the bridge and before Sam knew it, the motor was running and they were disembarking.  It was obvious that reaction deserved an explanation, and as Sam lingered for a minute, waiting, Gabriel…never came back.  

It was frustrating and disheartening, because for however protective Gabriel got he never saw it through.  Even though he seemed more pissed about it than Sam, he...let it go?  Yeah, to say he was disappointed in the way that ended was an understatement.

In a huff, Sam took a shower and left his discarded old clothes on the bathroom floor.  He pulled on a tee-shirt and shorts, and tied his hair back instead of letting the wet locks fall in his face.  Sam decided it was time to confront Gabriel head on.

They didn’t have that easy, flawless friendship they used to anymore.  There was too much in the way, and it could be a _good_ ‘too much’ if everything went according to plan.  Someone had to make the first move, and Sam knew that person had to be him.

Before he even met Gabriel in the bridge, he could scent the alpha brewing with all kinds of emotions.  

So many in fact, Sam’s hand hovered over the door handle to analyze the storm he knew he was about to walk into.  Shit, Gabriel was _pissed_ , but it was directed at the alpha who'd touched Sam.  
  
He was clearly upset and…jealous...?  Wait— _what_?

That’s when Sam pushed through the door, Gabriel alarmed at his entrance and spinning around to stammer out, “I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean to scare you, I don’t know what happened, I just—”

“You said you were gonna kill him,” Sam led with a grin on his face, he needed to play this right.  Everything hinged on his strategy.  “Was that your big, bad alpha instincts protecting a poor omega?  Or was it different, was it _me_?”

Gabriel squinted and analyzed him, watched his every move carefully as he closed in.  Sam was damming any personal bubbles, and Gabriel held his ground, standing tall.

The alpha sighed happily, saying, “Glad that stench is off you,” then hummed.  “I don’t think you want the answer.”  Gabriel paused, the topic visibly rattled him, disclaiming, “Once we go in the deep end, we can’t come back out, kid.”

“Trust me, I want it.  I have for a damn long time,” Sam reached out and hooked his thumbs in the belt loops of Gabriel’s jeans.  His head naturally tilted in subtle submission—and that was okay—he wanted this, he craved it so fucking badly, and it had to happen—

“Oh, Sammy, it’s all you.  You know that, you don't have to ask.”  Gabriel’s voice was forcefully light, he was working hard to keep it that way.  “The fact that some jackass just took something  _I’ve_ been dreaming about for months?  I was livid.  Here I am, giving you space.  Letting you take your time, come around on your terms…making sure to keep you on your pedestal where you belong.  ‘Cause if I don’t…shit.  Never mind—”

“I never asked to be on a pedestal,” Sam blurted out, “And I know I gave you mixed signals.  I know I asked something of you and changed my mind, I know there are things that happened with us  _I_ don’t remember, so—”

“Changed your mind?” Gabriel echoed with hope.  “What, precisely, did you change your mind about?”

Sam didn’t want to talk about this, he wanted to act.  Now that Gabriel’s scent was firing off with more appealing signs, well…Sam wanted to give him something in return.  Something that Gabriel was waiting to do for months, right?

It wasn’t an act of submission, it was an active choice for Sam to bear his neck.  

Hell, Gabriel had allowed Sam scent him freely.  To fall asleep with his head against his throat, being awesome about the fact that his scent soothed Sam.  But…it was different for an omega to do it.

The fact that Sam was in the first place, for an alpha no less—it was a huge, massive step for him.  He hoped Gabriel recognized it.  The heated look they shared and the choked noise Gabriel made certainly pointed them in the right direction.

“Fuck, Sam,” Gabriel couldn’t stop himself when he leaned foward and breathed in the length of pristine, unblemished skin, and moaned.  “I think I’ve got a feeling what changed—” the alpha decided.  Gabriel made a bold move to flick his tongue across the expanse of Sam’s throat, before fixing his mouth on Sam’s pulse point.

To say Gabriel made it worth his while was an understatement—not taking for granted a single second of what was offered.  He worshiped Sam’s neck, peppering kisses everywhere, filling his lungs with Sam's true scent.  It didn’t get any purer than this—washed from any passing aromas from land, fresh from the shower—

Sam could practically hear Gabriel purr as his tongue licked a hungry stripe, his hand raising to cradle Sam’s cheek.

“Oh _God_ —” Sam whined, and used his grip on Gabriel’s jeans to slam their hips together.  They both gasped, hard from the heady, lustful bursting scents in the room—Sam needed more.    
  
Gabriel’s mouth felt amazing.  Every passing flick of his tongue had Sam imaging all the things things Gabriel could do with his mouth.  Confirmation that it would be even better than he constantly dreamed of.  It wasn’t long before Sam was dripping slick, and he barked out, “Kiss me, dammit!”

A flashed grin, a whispered, “Thought you’d never ask,” and Gabriel descended upon Sam’s lips.

It was a long time coming, and each kiss was hotter than the last.  It was urgent, a frenzy of tongues and teeth, trying to get closer.  After so long, they needed this, they needed each other.  Meanwhile, their wandering hands found the each other—both the front of Gabriel’s jeans and handfuls of Sam’s ass cheeks—cupping and squeezing.

Gabriel was the one to pull away with a gasped, “Jesus Christ, Sam, you’re so wet—” as his finger slid against the darkened spot of omega’s thin-layered shorts.  When he pressed against it harder, the fabric soaked.

Sam didn’t have the decency to be embarrassed.  He admitted, “Not the first time it’s happened when I've thought about you.  Having your actual hands on me?  It‘s just the beginning.”  Sam rocked their hips together, a stunning noise ripped from Gabriel’s chest when he asked, “Your bed or mine?”

Neither answered, the race was on to reach Sam’s.  They both knew the path in the dark, Gabriel already having taken care of the ship’s course.  It wasn’t until they tumbled into bed, finally naked and skin to skin that the alpha stopped them.

“Hey, are you sure about this?” Gabriel asked, kissing down Sam’s chest.  “Tell me what you want.  Everything you want…and how far you want to go.  Last thing I wanna do is hurt you or trigger you, kiddo.”

“You won’t.”  There was absolute surety in his voice.  A certainty that surprised _both_ of them.  “I’ve always felt safe with you.  Now, you’re all I can think about.  Being with you, imagining the feel of your cock.  And…for the first time, it doesn’t scare me.  I want it, us to be one, so bad, it hurts.”  Sam raised his hips and spread his legs when he pleaded, “Need you to knot me, Gabriel—”

Finally, when Sam's movements turned desperate, when he started to beg, Gabriel threw caution to the wind.  During the time he’d been with Sam, he knew he couldn’t force the omega to do anything.  And on the opposite side of the spectrum, when Sam set his sights on something—he’d get it.  Who was Gabriel to stop him?  
  
God, the alpha had been waiting for this moment forever, after a never-ending series of ‘almosts,’ this was it.  The fact they’d gotten to know each other inside and out worked in his favor, because Gabriel knew that this was brand-new to Sam.  He _had_ to make it incredible for him.  Gabriel was determined to make his omega see stars.

As he fingered Sam’s gushing, slick hole with ease, he smiled devilishly.  “You’re hungry for it, aren’t you?  How many times have you touched yourself thinking of me?”

Arching into the assault, Sam flashed a knowing grin.  When he hauled Gabriel down for a filthy kiss, he said, “I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.”

Gabriel chuckled and lowered himself to suck the precum oozing from Sam’s dick.  “I can’t count how many…I’ve been goin’ crazy imagining what it’d be like...to be with you.  Not even in bed, just in life.  Cheesy?  Sure.  I don’t care.  I’m about to fuck you into next week.”

Sam yelped and thrashed when Gabriel nailed his sweet spot, demanding, “Then fuck me!  Please, Gabe, now!”

“Sure you’re ready?  You never answered my—”

“Yeah, I’ve jerked off.  But I was optimistic—used my fingers, pretending it was your knot inside me.  So _yes_ , I’m fucking ready!” the omega snapped, the confirmation making Gabriel finally withdrawal and use the slick mess on his palm to coat his cock.

Gabriel reached with his clean hand and yanked the tie from Sam’s hair, to wrap and twist his fingers in it.  He used the leverage to haul Sam in for a rough kiss.  “I don’t want you to present, but I want you on all fours.  After we're tied together, I’ll be able to hold you—yeah?”

He was gauging Sam’s reaction.  Small details and choices were tentative.  There was a real chance that the omega could panic if he didn’t see Gabriel the entire time.  But Sam trusted him, and the alpha had a point.  Sam nodded and rolled over.  His cock was pulsing, his ass was gushing, his mind was wrapped up in everything Gabriel and oh—the scents—

“Gonna make this so good for you, Sammy,” Gabriel’s voice was a constant, as the thick head of his cock caught Sam’s rim.    
  
Sam was ready, this was exactly what he’d prepared himself for.  It was a good (yet tempting) scene he’d stumbled upon with Gabriel’s morning swims, giving Sam an accidentally fantastic sneak-peek of Gabriel’s size.  

As he slid in, inch by inch, Sam’s breath was ripped away.  Still, Gabriel continued to hold a captive audience, “Been dreaming about this for a damn long time.  All the things I’m going to do to you, my beautiful omega,” he began thrusting his hips.

Sam felt a wild rush from the two simply connecting, and the words ‘my omega’ shot south.  He realized that Gabriel’s dialogue was to make sure Sam knew it was him.  Even as he sweetly caressed up and down Sam’s sides, snapping his hips forward and moaning—Gabriel continued for Sam’s benefit.

“How many loads do you think you can take?” Gabriel asked, Sam’s toes curling at the question and Gabriel’s knot tugging on his rim.

“Holy shit,” Sam groaned, trying to keep up the pace, but Gabriel was relentless and goddamn amazing.    
  
He was so far out of his element.  Sam never expected with a partner again, feeling this mind-blowing pleasure.  Let alone an alpha.  Let alone something this overpowering—Gabriel was literally fucking the brain cells from his head.  All Sam could manage was, “’m so close—” and squeeze his muscles around Gabriel’s cock.

Yes, Sam got a reaction—Gabriel moaned in rapture, and began to pump his hips harder, faster... “Want you to cum, baby.  Wanna hear you, too.”

As if Sam hadn’t already been gasping and begging, he didn’t have any shame shouting out the alpha’s name when he came.  It was spurred on by the foreign sensation of Gabriel’s knot swelling inside him.  Gabriel was praising him, kissing every inch of his back while Sam nearly collapsed against the mattress.  Until he remembered—

He wasn’t about to let Gabriel stop after one orgasm…not after all this cat and mouse, no fucking way.  
  
Sam would damn well milk the alpha for whatever he could get, whatever he could take, and he began by grinding against Gabriel’s swollen, huge knot.  The sharp inhale and long, “Sammy, _goddammit—_ ” was music to the omega’s ears, and he shoved backwards to take him as deep as he could.

Gabriel had hardly moved, he didn’t need to with Sam bucking and grinding on his dick, when he came spilling inside Sam again.

While the omega thought he’d been ready, he wasn’t.  Shit, the pressure startled Sam, but the scents of satisfaction and euphoria were enough to make him dizzy with a head rush.

Before he had a chance to push more limits, Gabriel stopped him with a bursting laugh.  “You’re unbelievable, you know that?”

As planned, the alpha pulled them both down to the bed on their sides, Gabriel wrapping around Sam from behind.  This spot, the embrace in the afterglow, was something _quite_ different than how they‘d slept before.  
  
Which should have been a sign—the real fact that they’d fallen asleep together countless times before.  How did it take so long for them to finally collide into bed like _this_?  They’d been set on a crash-course for so long and a revelation...something very real dawned on Sam.    
  
He wouldn’t be able to live without this or Gabriel now that he had finally experienced a taste.  With the barrier gone, Sam could see they held something so authentic and powerful between them.

“Nah, you're unbelievable.”  Sam’s retort was lame, he knew it, but he was so giddy.  “I’ve been waiting for this forever.  You have no idea how happy I am.”

“Oh, no, sir, _you_ have no idea.  How nuts it's been...to be beside you, but not with you.”  Gabriel chuckled and kissed Sam’s shoulder blades.  “I’ve been pining from afar, sexually frustrated up close.  You turned my life inside out, bucko.”

“Are we…okay now?  Better?” Sam asked with trepidation.

He wasn’t good at this.  Relationships and sex were still new.  He hoped he didn’t fuck up or—

“It’s goddamn perfect, are you joking?”  Gabriel was incredulous and his scent exploded with glee and gratification (his vibrancy always gave him away) making Sam blush—because, _wow_ , was that…love he was scenting?

Shit, he prayed it was.  He prayed he wasn’t alone in this.

Luckily, Gabriel couldn’t see his flush and Sam hauled out some false bravado paired with wishful thinking.  “In that case, I bet you and your sexual frustration have thought up lots of creative ways to keep this perfection going, huh?”

“Is that a challenge?” Gabriel asked with interested, suggestive arrogance.  “If we’re talking about all the ways I wanna have my way with you?  We’re gonna have to stock up and drop anchor for a long friggin time.  My fantasies involving you are endless and, trust me, I’ve dreamt about spreading you out or bending you over every square inch of my Amphitrite.”

Sam would have laughed if he wasn’t so busy shivering from anticipation.  “Oh yeah?  Is that how you bond your baby and your omegas?” he carefully selected his words to test the waters.

The arms around him tightened and the alpha’s directness was both a blessing and a curse.  “I’ve never been drawn to an omega enough to call mine.  Not until you.  The ball’s in your court, if you’ll let me, well— _court_ you.  I suppose it could be called bonding.  Kinky, if you thought of it like that.”

“So you know, I-I liked it before—”  Nothing was smooth or suave about Sam’s stammered words, “When you were being ‘cheesy’ in bed.  When you, uh, said that you wondered what it would be like, being with me in _life,_ not only with sex.”

Gabriel knew he wasn’t finished and remained silent.  Although, he sniffed out a building courage.  It was that courage Sam returned and it fueled him, despite being unable to see Gabriel.  He was taking a risk—he _would_ see it through.  He'd come this far, Sam refused to buckle now.

“I know we kind of messed up the courting process but…it’s just us out here.  No one has to know our business.  We don’t have to answer to anyone’s rules but our own.”  Sam could confidently say, “I’ve learned firsthand: life’s too short to care what people think.  You need to find something you want and chase it—that’s what brought me to you, to this journey, in the first place.  Now the question is…are you sure you want me?  And all that comes with me, as your omega?”

“Damn straight, I do, just…hold on a second.  Yell at me if this hurts—”

Sam’s brow furrowed.  He poured his heart out and now Gabriel just wanted to ‘press pause?’  How the _hell_ —

Sam muffled a yelp as Gabriel slowly began pulling out of him.  While his knot hadn’t completely disappeared, it _was_ enough to slip past Sam’s well-fucked hole.    
  
The exclamation wasn’t from pain, it was from the build-up of slick and cum that began pooling between his legs.   _That_ surprised the hell out of him.

“Yes—” Gabriel cheered to himself, and proceeded to haul Sam onto his back.  He grinned at how the omega turned scarlet—no, Sam had _not_ been expecting that, okay?!—Gabriel was pure mischief, looming over him.  “Sorry, press play.”

Sam had to do everything he could not to cover his damn face in awkward embarrassment.  God, they’d just had fantastic sex, why was he shy about the aftermath?!  It seemed that Gabriel was already in-tuned with him, because before he even spoke he leaned down to kiss Sam breathless.  The distraction made any sheepishness vanish and brought them back to what really mattered— _them_.

When they parted, Gabriel glowed with a fondness Sam felt he hadn’t truly earned yet, but loved all the same.  “Sammy, you, your past, your present, your future, I want it all.   _Yes_ , I want you to be my omega, and if you’ll let me prove that I’ll be a good alpha for you, I’d be over the fuckin' moon.”  

He kissed the tip of Sam’s nose and proposed, “Let me court you on the sea.  Take you for dates in the cities.  Maybe some place we cruise up on you’ll fall in love with, and you'd wanna make it home one day.  After we see the world the way you want to see it, if you let me have the honor, I’ll be the best mate money _can’t_ buy.  Oh—that also means you’re ceasing payments now, too.  I don't need a sugar daddy.”

Sam rolled his eyes, grumbling, “I'm not your sugar daddy,” because those words stunned him, it was all he could think to say.

He cradled Gabriel’s cheeks, emotions high with a barely-contained urgency.  “ _Yes_ , I’ll be your omega.  I’m gonna prove to you that I’ll be good to you just as much as you wanna prove it to me.  I’d love the courting, the dates, and when we find a home?  Maybe then, we mate in celebration.  And eventually come back, as a mated pair.  I've learned time passes differently here.  Who knows if it’ll be months or years until we find a spot, or maybe we never will…”

"I know no matter what, I wanna be with you."  Sam shrugged, and gestured to the walls surrounding them, “Maybe, the Amphitrite is more of a home than any city.  Even if we leave the sea for a while, we should mate here.”

Breathless, Gabriel leaned into Sam’s touch and confessed, “I cannot believe we’re talking about this right now, babe.  Yes, _yes_ and yes.”  The alpha collapsed and tackled Sam, rolling in the dirty sheets without a care.  “ _My_ omega.  Damn straight, I’m gonna prove it to you.”

This kind of joy was startling, Sam’s wild beating heart wouldn’t slow and he thought he was dreaming.  But...he wasn’t.  Which was the craziest part of it all.

“Me, too.  God, Gabriel, why didn’t we do this sooner?”

“Everything happens for a reason,” the alpha settled on, and reminded him, “Hey.  Snuggles.  Best part of the afterglow.”

“Oh, right,” Sam agreed, because—yes, he was still getting used to this and learning.  He heartily approved of everything Gabriel said, it gave him something to look forward to.  Sam had finally, finally found shelter and safety where he'd never thought to look—or maybe, shelter and safety had found him.


	6. Chapter Five

Gabriel was a happy clam.  He was living the expression ‘everything's coming up roses,’ constantly surrounded by Sam's beauty, intelligence and mouth-watering scent.  This new way of life was more than he could've wished for.    
  
Their first night together (it seemed so long ago, looking back) had been an insane break, a carnal experience releasing all their pent-up sexual tension.  It sure made for a hell of an evening.  Except, something even more profound than them snapping and landing in bed?   _Gabriel_ was courting an omega.  And Sam was just as enthusiastic as the alpha.   
  
Which meant Gabriel was on his way (hopefully) to having a mate.  It sure felt like it—fuck, it felt amazing.

How wild was that!?

Sam was perfect, he was everything the alpha wanted and more.  He was a gift to be celebrated, and tonight (having gathered all the ingredients from a fresh, inland market) Gabriel was surprising him by making Sam one of his favorite dishes.

“Gabriel—”

The alpha jumped in surprise and muffled an embarrassing yip.  Sam was _right there_ , behind him, and he didn’t hear his entrance over the sizzle of the skillet!  Before he could order his omega to wear a damn bell, he turned around—   
  
And the sight made his jaw drop.

Gabriel should have been apprehensive, he should have been on guard by the distraught tone of Sam’s voice, but he was...distracted.

“Sammy…what’s wrong?”  With his cooking literally abandon (he shut off all the burners, this was urgent), he carefully approached the omega who was both sweating and chilled at the same time.  The scent of lust was a heavy fog surrounding him was another tell, but it didn’t make any goddamn sense!  “This can’t be right…”

“I know!  I fucking know!” Sam sobbed, diving towards Gabriel for support.  In the overwhelming midst of all the sexual energy, an equally strong helplessness existed.  “I don’t know _why_ this is happening!   _How_ it could.  I haven’t skipped a day of my suppressants!  I-I take them religiously.  I _can’t_ have a heat, I refuse—”

“Hey, babe.  I hate to ruin this, but I’m pretty positive you are anyway.”  Gabriel tried to soothe him by rubbing circles against Sam’s back, the omega’s spine going rigid from the words.  “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of you, okay?  Did this just start?”    
  
Gabriel fought so, so, _so_ fucking hard to stay alert, to concentrate.  It was a battle—refusing to allow himself to become caught and swept away in the delicious, come-fuck-me scents that were Sam.  Shit, his cock was already rock-solid in his pants.  He needed to center himself, or he'd bust through his zipper!

“Y-yeah,” Sam choked out.  “It just started.  I’m still lucid enough to be pissed.  I,” he retracted with a frown, putting space between them to speak.  “I don’t understand.”

“C’mon, first—let’s get you water and into bed.  Change your clothes to something comfy.  Easy to pull off.”  Gabriel decided taking action.  Being proactive would be best: for Sam's sake.  A venue change was in order, since fucking him in the kitchen was the only thing he could think about.

He grabbed his omega’s hand and dragged him to the stairs, cutting the sharp corners to his room dangerously fast.  Feeling much better once they were inside a controlled and familiar environment, he asked, “Where are your suppressants, kid?” hyper-focused on getting the bottom of this riddle.

Sam was peeling away his sweaty shirt, finally down to his boxers, erection straining against the fabric.  Holy hell, Gabriel was shocked at Sam’s self-control (the alpha thought _he_ was good under pressure, until seeing the omega in _this_ situation), Sam finally answering, “I-in the nightstand.  All my meds are there.”

When Gabriel opened it, he had to yank the drawer out until it hit the edge—and...wow.  There was a huge difference between knowing and seeing—the number of orange bottles that piled on top of each other added up quicker than Gabriel could count.  The baffling amount of medication Sam was on, it had escaped the alpha.  Until now.  
  
Gabriel wasn’t sure about the names of the generics, but he was certain there were some benzos in here for anxiety, plus other brain-meds for depression, PTSD or (most likely) a concoction to make Sam human.  As he dug through the supply of prescriptions, squinting at label after label, he finally stumbled across both the suppressants and—

“Birth control?” Gabriel asked with a grin and a raised eyebrow.  “When did you get this?”

Sam snorted and rolled his eyes, “When do you think, jackass?  I had my brother ship it out early to a place I knew we planned on docking.  It was waiting when we arrived and I started ASAP.”

Oh— _that_ was a close call: Gabriel locking up at the word 'brother,' that was.   
  
…Fuck, that meant Dean and Cas knew that he was boning sweet, sweet Sammy Winchester.  All while he hadn’t been returning their transmissions or texts (when there was cell service) for over four months.

What Gabriel had with Sam was real, he was dumping _all_ paid jobs.  His priority was exploring their relationship.  No one’s nose belonged in it—no one needed to know what they had—besides him and the omega.    
  
Although, he _was_ taken aback by Dean caving and actually sending Sam birth control.  Which raised the question—

“Did he get you the suppressants too?”  Gabriel took a good, long look, noticing they were all from the same doctor.  Everything had the same name on it.

“No, I got those right before the trip.  I was able to get a year supply on hand, and I can call for refills,” Sam explained, wincing as his fever burned hotter and his hand lowered to wrap around his cock, needing some kind of relief.

Except Gabriel was bound and determined to figure this out!  If these were fresh (they sure as hell  _were_ —he could tell from the date prescribed) and Sam had been taking them well before the expiration date—there was no reason they shouldn’t be working!    
  
Hell, most meds were still good for over a year after the printed toss-out date, _plus_  all these were, like, hot-off-the-press, brand spankin’ new!

It was also obvious that Sam had been taking them, because—just like his birth control—the suppressants were packaged with a calendar format.  You popped the pill out on the weekday printed and washed it down.  Then, every three months there would be a week of sugar pills where a 'healthy omega'—ahem, usually _taken_ omega—had their heat.  There was ample time leading up to their usual, natural schedule, that if you didn't want to worry about it?  You skipped to the new ones: that Sam had countless of.    
  
There was no way the omega could mess this one up; it was foolproof.  It mirrored the birth control identically.  
  
Plus, the omega was no where near the sugar pills, he was still a month and a half away,according to the packet!  
  
Not to mention Sam, with the rest of his extensive medication regimen, would make it downright impossible for him to consistently leave one, singular med out—when it was _right here_.  The suppressants weren't hidden, lost or misplaced: they were neatly arranged beside every other bottle.  ...Although Gabriel rifling around had caused chaos and it was a friggin hot mess—oops.  There was only one other alternative, and Gabriel sure as hell _hadn’t_ sabotaged him, Gabriel—

_Oh shit…_

“Oh shit…” Gabriel echoed his thoughts aloud and whipped over to face Sam, gawking at him.  He cautiously laid down next to him and implored, “Sammy.  When you first met me, what did you think?”

“What?” he narrowed his eyes, pushing his boxers down and making this conversation even more impossible.  “Gabe, if you wanna help me, please—give me your cock, your cum—it’s the only thing that’s gonna ease this and help...”

“Not until I figure this shit out.  Please, just trust me.  Answer the question, sweetheart.”  Gabriel hated waiting, but he needed Sam's undivided attention (even with his cock out, begging to be touched).  Gabriel used the ace up his sleeve, implementing the barest edge of his alpha voice to speed this along.  “What was your first thought when you saw me?”

“I-I thought, ‘I hope this pans out.  I hope this is the boat and this is my guide.’  I told you it was crazy I felt safe with you.  The first alpha outside my family—ever.  Even before what happened.  I loved your smile, your energy, your—” Sam whined, Gabriel’s hand _finally_ caressing between his legs.

The alpha ducked in and explained, “My reaction to you?  It was a helluva lot more…intense.  I kept myself together _damn_ well, all things considered.  There's only one answer to this mystery that makes sense."  
  
"Answer?" Sam demanded, before Gabriel could even finish.  
  
"Your meds: they're heavy duty and they work miracles for you.  Except...sometimes they water down the highs you feel with the lows.  And side effects mess with your nose...but they do their job, shielding you from the bad."  He knew he was stalling, he had to zero in on the point!  "Sam, what would you think if I told you…” Gabriel pushed three fingers into Sam’s greedy, waiting hole, “I think we’re true mates?”

“What?” Sam momentarily forgot his overwhelming sex drive, the need to be pleased, and stared upon Gabriel with wonder.  “What did _you_ feel? —oh, _don’t stop—_  …Gabriel, please, fuck me…!”

Well, why not take advantage of his captive audience?

Sam dropped his knees open, just enough to make room for Gabriel to settle between them.  The alpha teased him by sliding his cock between the omega’s ass cheeks, slicking up his erection.  Gabriel took a beat to enjoy the wanton show, Sam twisting and writhing his pelvis, tilting to catch Gabriel’s cock, needing him to just plunge inside already—!    
  
It wouldn’t work until Gabriel took mercy on him, the alpha was in control and he had an agenda.

“When I saw you, it was like time stopped.  Like it didn't even exist.”  Gabriel cuffed Sam under the chin and kissed him sweetly.  “I knew you were special, and I wanted to help you take on whatever mission you had in mind.  Whatever your mountain, I wanted to see you climb it.  I knew I’d never have a place at your side, so I wanted to be a friend; a best friend.  Even though the longer we were together, my other...well, _wants_ started to eat me alive—drove me fuckin‘ insane—it was okay...because I was with you."  He paused, musing, "I like to think you would've had the same ideas, if we'd met at a different stage in our lives...but we found each other anyway.  It's so common with brain meds, all the tweaking, balancing and fixing, it'll dull our intrinsic senses.  Kiddo…I think we're overriding nature—finding each other again—that’s what’s happening now…”

“True mates?” Sam's awe was hopeful without a hint of fear.  When Gabriel sunk into him (thankful he hadn't scared him off), Sam babbled out, “I-I wish I could have seen you how you saw m-me that day—so badly—”

“Oh, but you see me _here_ ,” Gabriel emphasized, taking Sam into his arms.  “Our biology is ignoring modern medicine.  I’m sorry, gorgeous, I think this _is_ my fault.”

With a dopey grin, Sam began to grind on his alpha’s cock and actually laughed.  “Don’t be sorry.  The only thing that can make a surprise-heat all right, is having a true mate!  And…I believe you.  Without being able to scent it.  I actually fucking believe it!  Am I crazy?”

Gabriel began snapping his hips, needing to please his desperate omega.  He assured him, “Not crazy.  You’re loved.  You’re appreciated and I told you, I’ll make this the best week ever for you.”

His eyes softened and Sam agreed, “Know you will, alpha.”

As Gabriel watched Sam fall apart in front of him with a hungry zeal—the omega, lust drunk and close to the edge, honed in on _one thing_ Gabriel had said.  His now-one-track-mind replaying it, until he broke.  
  
That same one-track mind had Sam asking, point-blank, “You love me, Gabe?” while the air was punched from his lungs.  Every rough thrust of Gabriel's hips made it harder to breathe and easier to shout, so the question of love came as a booming inquiry through the cabin.  
  
That question—

The alpha faltered before renewing his intensity, curious if Sam even knew what he was saying—if he even _wanted_ an answer.  While Gabriel was trying to calm him earlier, make him feel better, now he was caught by all his words spoken in comfort.

You know what?  He could feel Sam’s body beginning to shake, his thighs quivering, and his hole clenching.  He was two seconds away from blowing his load.  Gabriel ducked forward, bending him in half, and whispered in Sam’s ear, “Fuck yes, I love you, my omega,” and Sam’s arms surged out to latch around him.

Gabriel could hardly move as Sam moaned and clutched him desperately through his orgasm.  His loose lips whimpering, “Love you, Gabe, _fuck_ , yes—maybe this won’t be hell, after all,” leaving the alpha to wonder again: just how much of Sam's inner monologue did he know actually made it to the open air?

Still, Gabriel felt better, he wasn’t alone in his true-mate-feelings.  He’d discovered the plethora of prescriptions—it made sense.  Many of them individually would’ve dulled Sam’s first impression, _and_ their situation, let alone the countless combinations…  
  
Armed with knowledge, a reason, and this powerful confession—the feeling of love was what made Gabriel’s knot swell and tied him with Sam.  Actually _having_ a sense of belonging and purpose changed everything.  Plus, the tentative true mate confirmation?  Who knew how much it would change them.

This was going to be a week to explore themselves and each other—to know their boundaries—because they'd be physically pushed to their limits.  Gabriel already knew that, but he’d take care of his omega.  He always did, he always would.  It felt so much more...important now.  
  
Gabriel planned to dig deep and see what kind of feelings existed, how far along they truly were in their courting, what Sam needed from him.  Then maybe...the discussion of mating would be possible.  
  
...It could be closer than either initially thought.

Yeah, _perhaps_ it was unfair to chat about mating during an omega’s heat, but it wasn’t like Gabriel was going to pull the trigger—that would be shady!    
  
Gabriel simply wanted the uncensored version—that’s it.  This heat was the best way to get it.  Sam was currently uncensored and explicit, the sexual energy of his cycle worked the same way booze would.    
  
Honestly?  Gabriel was dying of curiosity.  He wondered when Sam projected as 'their time,' knowing would be fan-fucking-tastic.  A frame of reference, a  _real_ countdown, it would mean everything to the alpha: he loved this omega more than anything in the world.  He wanted that date.  He wanted it nailed down!  
  
Everyday-Sam would overthink and over-analyze.  He'd get embarrassed: not wanting to say the wrong thing, he'd probably second-guess himself until the day was  _upon them._  Not _this_ Sam.

Collapsed against Sam’s chest, Gabriel promised, “You’re mine.  I’ll take care of you now, like I plan on doing for the rest of my life.”

Sam fucking _beamed_ and Gabriel was the one getting drunk on the secondhand scents—he was setting the stage.

Making the most out of an 'unfortunate' accident.

Making his future mate happy.  That's what he wanted out of life, Sam's happiness: in this moment, in the future, _always_.

\----------------------

Gabriel refused to dock.  He didn’t want anyone catching the scent of an unmated omega in heat.  One sniff and any alpha, beta, or— _shit_ —horny-ass omega would come running!  It was a risk Gabriel wasn’t willing to take, not with _his omega_.  So they stayed out at sea.  
  
He wanted to be with Sam without worrying about prying eyes, so after a little cruising he found the perfect place.  Gabriel dropped anchor off the shoreline of a bay that appeared deserted.  Still, Gabriel wanted to make sure this wasn't a secret getaway spot, so he glanced at his charts.  
  
It took him a damn long time to locate it, because it wasn't mapped onto the papers how it appeared in front of him.  Maybe the cove, the landscape, had been created through a recent earthquake and rising tides—on the charts the coordinates were supposed to be a peninsula.  Hell yes, now it was even _more_ ideal!  Gabriel could confirm no one would be looking for this landmark (because it didn't friggin exist) there would be no unwanted visitors. 

This was the best location: it was isolated, they were safely tucked away from any open elements, the water was crystal clear and the sun was warm.

In between romps, they could dive into the ocean to swim, instead of worrying about showers.  Drying off was as easy as laying out on the deck, taking in the afternoon rays.  No one was around to watch, judge or hear how loud Sam shouted.  
  
Hell, the privacy and occasion became so awesome Gabriel could stop wearing clothes altogether—so sue him!

He never imagined at the beginning of this misadventure, he’d wind up here.

Gabriel had done this as a favor to his brother.  Secondly, a favor to himself—to line his pockets with a cubic-fuck-ton of cash and treat her girl right with some new renovations.

Now?  He’d found himself a true mate.  One he’d accidentally jump-started on their heat, but Gabriel was very willing and eager to make up for it.  To 'own up to his mistake'...one he didn't regret for a second.    
  
The alpha enthusiastically devoted every waking moment to taking care of Sam in ways he hadn’t before.  Making sure his omega was fed, he was gratified, and more than anything: he had a smile on that gorgeous face.

While they were laying, tied together and trying to catch their breath, Gabriel continually mused over asking _the question_ that had been on his mind the last three days.  His arms wrapped around Sam from behind and he spread kisses over every square inch of the omega’s back.  He worshiped as far as his mouth could reach, Sam's preening and purring from the affection was another way he intended to keep spoiling him.

Up until Sam, Gabriel was notoriously the pull-out and get-out kinda guy.  He never knotted anyone because he didn’t want to be, literally and metaphorically, _stuck_.  There was nothing appealing about the ‘afterglow’ or any kind of cuddling—honestly, he found it irksome.

Sam changed everything.

As it turned out, this was one of his favorite places to be.

Pushing buttons and pushing Sam, filling him with multiple loads of cum and praising how good he was.  Caressing him, kissing him, _loving_ him.  When Sam’s scent came alive with sated bliss and elation meant for Gabriel, and only Gabriel—he was flying high.  Fuck, the alpha couldn't love someone more.

They’d broken the barrier and, while using it sparing, both were free to speak the ‘L’ word.  He supposed that came with the true mate thing, too.  Which was the _other_ part of his niggling curiosity— Gabriel finally forced himself to say it aloud.

“How long do you want to wait?” Gabriel was elusive.  Purposefully elusive.

Sam hummed in wonderment, his hand overlapping Gabriel’s, cupping low on his stomach.  His middle was slightly swollen from Sam's new-found determination and addiction of milking his alpha dry—three days more than enough to test what his body was capable of.  Astonishment flared through Sam's scent, his hand squeezed Gabriel’s and he asked, “...For a pup?”

“ _No_!  Oh, God, not _yet_ , at least!”  Gabriel began laughing, he totally understood where Sam would've connected the dots, and it was _adorable_.  Even if they were the wrong dots...  “Don’t you think there’s a step in-between we’re missing?” he teased, mouthing at the outline of Sam’s spine.

“Shit, Gabriel, don’t ask me about that now,” he whimpered—all kinds of pathetic, yet he still showed a level of trust, vulnerability.  Sam’s voice dropped to a hush, “It’s all I can do not to beg for it…”

That perked the alpha up.  Gabriel was a combination of enthralled and concerned, and his question voiced both.  “Is it…because you know if you weren’t in heat you wouldn’t want it?  Or—”

“Fuck no.  I’d want it either way!” Sam defended passionately, making any lingering hesitation vanish.  “I just wanna do it when we can, I don’t know, like…celebrate it?  Make it a night?  Does that make sense, or am I being a girl about it...”

“That sounds phenomenal,” the alpha agreed, hoping to put all of his boyfriend’s worries to rest with an admission of his own, “Fuck, I’m just happy that you want it—like I do.  I know I’m kinda pulling a fast one, asking you when hormones are high.  Maybe I wouldn’t have the balls.  It’d be more difficult: bringing it up with a calm, cool and collected Sammy,” he chuckled and shook his head.

“You?  Not having the balls to do anything?  First, that's crazy,” he laughed along with Gabriel.  “Second, if there’s one thing I’m not calm, cool or collected about?  It’s you.  That's how I know we are true mates.  You make me irrational.  You made me trust and feel things when I never thought I’d be able to again.  I thought I was broken and beyond repair.  I don’t know if you know how _huge_ of a fucking deal it is…”

“I do,” Gabriel prayed his voice conveyed it, because the words, Sam’s confession—it was so heavy and earnest.  “Sam, _I do_.  I’m grateful, every single day, that you let me in.  That you gave me a chance to do exactly that.”

Sam was beaming with contentment.  “I think…it should be sooner rather than later.  I mean, why not?”

Dammit, that made Gabriel’s heart ping-pong off his rib-cage and vibrate into his damn lungs.  He tried to fumble through the shakiness, he fought to disguise it when he asked, “You really mean that, don’t you?  Heat or not—”

“I’m in my right mind, you know,” the omega pointed out, assuring glance flickering over his shoulder with a grin.  “Everything has…a clarity to it.  And us?  Mating?  Makes all the sense in the world.”

“When your heat’s over,” Gabriel confirmed with the unruly workings of a smile tugging on his cheek.  “Holy hell.  This is _really_ gonna happen, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, it really is.  I wanna be yours, alpha...” Sam usually emphasized the word playfully, but this time it was meant with sincerity.  Anticipation.  “If this has shown me anything, it’s that you’re always gonna take care of me through thick and thin.  No matter what.  You’re…shit.  You’re fucking amazing, Gabriel.  I love you.”

“Nah, _you’re_ the one who’s amazing, kiddo,” Gabriel countered, squeezing him tighter than he should’ve—a wicked smirk springing forth.  “I love you, too.  Apparently, _you’re_ already thinking about _pups_ , huh?”

“No!  Well, maybe.  Just because of—you know what?” he huffed dramatically, “I don’t owe you an explanation.  You tricked me!”

“That I did…” he threw his head back and laughed.  “After this, it’s time for a swim!  And then I’ll make us a snack, all right?”

“Like I said.  Amazing.”

\---------------------------

Sam leaned against the railing, looking out at the setting sun.  Taking a moment to enjoy the breeze, he closed his eyes.  The ever-present scent of salt washed through his senses, but mixed in was the sweet, floral smell of the foliage near land, combined with the earthy, damp soil.

The beach wasn’t anything spectacular—there weren’t white sands that stretched for miles—but Sam figured that was why Gabriel had chosen this location.  The only people who could spot them were ships passing the small inlet of the cove, and even then: they’d miss the Amphitrite if they blinked.  No one should be sailing so close to the shoreline to begin with.

The omega wondered, looking around at their little piece of stolen paradise, just how long Gabriel searched for it.

Sam had been delirious and out of his mind the first three days, and while Gabriel had been at his beck and call, he’d also been steering the ship on and off.  God, the alpha was too good to him.  The concept of true mates made all everything click.  
  
...Maybe with Gabriel by his side—slowly but surely—he’d be able to wean himself off the medication affecting his nose.  He’d _kill_ to experience what the alpha was already experiencing.

All the prescriptions Sam took each day, they were heavy-duty.  Gabriel had acknowledged it, but the truth was—he didn't know the half of it...

It was only thanks to his regimented cocktail that Sam managed to haul himself out of bed in the morning when he was seeing his therapist daily.  If he didn’t have these aiding and supporting him, Sam had no idea how he could have made it from one day to the next.

It took a while to get the dosages right, there was trial and error, some hits and misses—but eventually, they balanced Sam out so he could function in society.  Which…actually meant functioning around Dean, Cas and a courtroom.  Without them, Sam honestly wasn't sure he would've made it.

Maybe he _should_ visit home…

Maybe Sam should introduce his almost-future-(could-be-mated-by-then) _mate_ to his brother.  This was a big deal.

Maybe he should go and visit his doctor, see what they could do about lowering the dose on the medications specifically dampening his ability to experience Gabriel.  Hell, maybe he needed to additionally figure out a _stronger_ brand of suppressants, along with the true-mate-tweaking?  
  
While _this_ heat was a surprise, one they were dealing with and everything ended up fine and dandy, Sam wouldn’t always be this lucky.  In this case, luck was a fluke chance.

There was no way he could ask Gabriel to drop everything, each and every time his cycle came around, and demand the alpha come sprinting to his aide.

Sam didn’t want him to.    
  
Plus, potentially being vulnerable somewhere when he wasn’t by Gabriel’s side, in the middle of nowhere—that thought was terrifying.  He hadn’t chosen this, and given the option, he’d just as well avoid heats in the foreseeable future.  Unless Gabriel felt differently, then Sam could see himself alternating a schedule...

Yeah.  He felt safe, here.  Floating in this deserted cove, but anywhere else?  That was another story…

“Heya.”

Speak of the devil.

Sam turned around and smiled at the alpha, loving the way Gabriel was illuminated in all the warm colors of the setting sun.  He waved him closer, reaching out to take his hand and pull Gabriel into open arms.

They stayed like that for a while.  The wind grew chillier while the bursts of amber, fuchsia and gold rays began to flash for the grand finale before sinking into the ocean.  The warmth between their bodies exceeded the temperature outside, and Sam’s was warmer still.  Not as blistering as he had been, luckily he _was_ coming down from the extreme fever, but it didn’t make Sam crave his future mate any less.

“Wanna head inside?” Gabriel inquired, swirling around within the circle of Sam’s arms to face him.  “Whatcha doing out here, anyway?”

The alpha led Sam at an unhurried pace, steering them back inside the ship.  The darkness was slowly creeping in, replacing where the vibrant colors had once been with shades of grey, and Gabriel’s nose scrunched.  It was a tell—he could read Sam loud and clear.  
  
The omega shrugged, trying to outrun his own negativity.  “Thinking.  Lots of thinking.  Hey, maybe after this, we could cross the ocean again?”

“Yeah?  You wanna explore South America, or—?” Gabriel left it open ended as they descended the steps into Sam’s room.

Most nights, especially before Sam’s heat, they’d lay side by side and look up through the window.  Sometimes they’d point out stars and constellations before bed and, during the lazy days, shapes in the clouds.  Gabriel practically collapsed backwards, tackling Sam down with him.

“Actually...”  The omega shimmied around on the mattress, looking out through the glass ceiling.  “I was thinking you could meet my family.  I may have 'stowed away' but that’s because I needed to do something on my own.  To prove I still _could_ , and get out of my head at the same time.  But my brother and me, and his mate…we’re all really, really close.”  
  
Sam kept stealing glances over at Gabriel, making sure he was following.  Not only was the alpha following, he was hanging on Sam’s every word.  “And you’re gonna be my mate.  Shit, by the time we cross, you probably  _will be_ my mate.  And I was thinking…” Sam’s eyes flitted down to their hands, Gabriel’s thumb unknowingly, already naturally rubbing circles on the back of Sam’s.  “I need to figure out my medication situation.  Both with the suppressants and _maybe_ pulling back on the others.”

That was when the alpha locked up, and Sam knew his scent—it puffed with concerned.  Dammit, Gabriel was so friggin quick, so on his toes to reassure him.  Even when Sam wanted the black and white truth!

“That’s all good, Sammy, sounds like a plan!” Gabriel said it—because that’s what Sam wanted to _hear_.  He leaned over and pecked a kiss to the omega’s cheek.

Except, Sam wasn’t convinced, not by a long shot.  “Gabe.  What’s going on in your head?  C’mon, tell me and be honest.”

“No, I think all this is a good idea.  We’ve done over half a year of exploring, maybe it’s smart to touch base at home.  We can always hop right back out on the water.  Of course, I wanna be a part of your life, and if family is a huge part?  I’m in.”  He paused and then asked, “Are you thinking about pulling back on the meds for _me_?”

Oh, so that’s where his apprehension came in... “Well, it's for _us,_ " Sam answered honestly, "And some of the medications are a lot more crucial than others, you know?  I've got a good psychiatrist.  She'll steer me right.”

Gabriel curled onto his side, facing the omega with a rare sternness about him.  “Sammy.  What happened to you is horrible, beyond measure.  So are the scars.  You’re strong to know you can’t carry them alone, and what you’re doing right now is working.  I don’t want to risk fucking it all up, when we _already_ know we’re meant to be, okay?  We’ve got nothing to prove.  We’re happy without—”

“We could be _happier_ ,” Sam couldn’t stop from interjecting.  “ _I_ could be happier.  Which is insane to me!  Knowing I’m missing out on something so huge when I’m already overwhelmed with these emotions and in love?  Gabriel, you get to feel _all of it_.  You get to scent I’m your true mate, hell, you knew the second you met me!  I know you're my alpha, logically: we're real, sure.  But...it’s not the staggering, reckless joy that it’s supposed to be.  I wanna live in the fairy tale you're in."  
  
The omega continued, passion fueling his voice when he implored, "And it's different with you—I'm not by myself fighting this battle anymore.  You're in my corner when shit gets rough, it won't be like before—when I _was_ completely alone.  Of course, it’s gonna be give and take.  Feeling that kind of bliss could come with the possibility of my PTSD leaking through, but we're stronger than my nightmares, we've proven that.  And I’m not talking about dropping all of them, about going cold turkey, hell no.  I’m not an idiot.”

“I never said you were,” Gabriel urged, slowly moving to hover over him and kiss his brow.  “I want you to know I’m supportive.  And right now, everything is aces.  I don’t want to be the wrench.”

“I get it,” Sam nodded, now thoroughly distracted by the fact that Gabriel was exerting a degree of dominance—whether he knew it or not.  His heat was revving up again, being underneath his stunning alpha.  He had to swallow hard to form words.  “I’ll make sure to think everything through.  I-I won’t be impulsive, okay?”

Gabriel’s nostrils flared and his hands turned to fists, forearms boxing in Sam’s head.

He couldn’t help it, Sam was being a little shit because Gabriel wasn't giving him much (if anything) to work with.  The alpha's lack of conversation made Sam feel like he was being scolded about  _his own_ choice (for _them,_ dammit), with Gabriel looming over him…Sam bared his neck.  Why not act like the submissive omega when his alpha was being overbearing?

Choking down a stifled moaned, Gabriel actually flew back by extending his arms to put some distance between him and Sam’s throat.  He growled, “ _Fuck_ , kid!” in pure frustration.

“What?” Sam asked innocently, “You’re posturing.  Wanted to let you know you win.  And,” Sam licked his lips, Gabriel reaction was absolutely delicious, the tent in his boxers making his slick drip and cheeks glide— “You know, you can mark me without leaving a bite.  Right?”

“Holy shit, _don’t_ even tempt me...” Gabriel chastised, yet his fingers trailed along the column of Sam’s neck.  “You know what?  When the time comes, my claim is gonna look perfect, right _here_ —”

Sam gasped when Gabriel’s lips brushed over the hyper-sensitive skin, the words driving him mad.  He wasn’t joking, it wasn’t for dramatics when he told the alpha being claimed was all he could think about when he was soaked between his legs.    
  
How it took every ounce of willpower not to beg for it.  Jesus, all Sam wanted was to wear that claim, to—

“Wanna be yours, Gabriel.  Wanna belong to you, be _your_ omega—”  The words accidentally tumbled past his lips, Sam _couldn’t_ control them—!

A snarl from the alpha foreshadowed Sam’s boxer’s being ripped off (nearly ripped in _half_ ), while Sam tossed his own shirt away.  This wasn’t uncommon—the omega naked, hard, gushing and begging while Gabriel was still fully clothed.  It didn’t last long, Gabriel fought to be free of his in a furious rush.

As he pushed Sam’s legs apart, he promised, “You already belong to me.  You’re _mine_ , Sammy.  No one besides me can touch you, can fuck you.”  He slid into Sam’s pliable body, his thrust sinfully drawn-out.  “No one else can knot you or stretch you, 'til you’re bursting with cum, besides _me_.”

Oh, those words had Sam’s hole spurting slick, coating not just Gabriel’s cock as he finally plunged in, but his balls and thighs.  A sharp inhale told Sam it hadn’t gone unnoticed, and the alpha grinned wildly as he hauled Sam’s knees over his shoulders, folding him in half.  This was the part Sam loved—not only was Gabriel fucking him deeper than ever—if they moved just right, Sam could kiss his alpha, too.

“Y-yeah, Gabe, all yours—” Sam keened against Gabriel's mouth, “Fuck, c-can’t wait to wear your claim.  Show the world.  Every city we visit, everyone will know my alpha's close by.  W-when I get home and the media swarms, _that’ll_ make headlines, _we’ll_ make headlines—” Sam laughed as his arms wrapped around Gabriel’s neck, hauling him in closer, “Gimme a taste, _please_ —”

He wanted to feel Gabriel’s mouth on his neck more than fucking anything!  Sam wanted teeth piercing through his skin and, even though he knew it wasn’t in the cards right now, _maybe_ the preview would be enough to satiate him until—

When Gabriel’s mouth closed around that exact spot—sealing his lips around the future mating claim—he sucked the blood to the skin’s surface, knowing the outline would bruise, would stay until—

_Shit_ , his teeth barely grazed him, Sam wasn’t _just_ cumming—

He was screaming, thrashing and babbling from the sensation alone.    
  
A glimmer of their future together tore open an slew of emotions bursting so full of light, so explosively _alive_.  Sam had no idea he craved this on such a deep level, when it manifested in a small way, he was pushed over the edge.  Now, the beginnings of mating pheromones (yes, oh God, they were different—these weren’t _only_ heat hormones) were enough to rock his world.

When Gabriel caught sight of his work, when he scented Sam’s bliss and the actual tinges of those same pheromones Sam had—he crashed so fucking hard.  His knot swelled and locked them together, but his own orgasm rushed longer than any before.  It was like one instantly blurred into the heels of the previous, and he kept pumping Sam full of his release.

They were both engulfed in this heady mating-pheromone-like daze (from the slightest tease) when Gabriel let go of Sam’s legs— dropping, spent and limp—and collapsed atop his omega.  Gabriel couldn’t help but place a light kiss against the hickey, and Sam shuddered the second contact was made.

With a chuckle, the omega warned, “Be careful.  I warned you, the thought is a direct line to turn up my heat, let alone touch.”  Sam didn't bother muffling the shameless moan, “ _Jesus_ , that felt amazing, Gabe!  I’m sorry I put you on the spot, but that was the best orgasm of my life.”

“You know what’ll be better?”  The alpha wiggled his eyebrows and didn’t miss a beat.  “When we actually mate.  Now, that’s gonna be fireworks!”

Sam readily admitted, “Wow, I don’t know if I’ll be able to handle it…”

“When it happens, you won’t be exhausted from days and days of your cycle.  Probably why you’re feeling laid out flat.  Although, it swept me up too, because, _damn…_ ”  Gabriel made his point by lowering his touch to Sam’s swollen stomach.  “I didn’t even mean to, it just happened…”

“It makes you wonder...”  The omega paused and tucked a strand of hair behind Gabriel’s ear.  “If the suppressants aren’t working…is the birth control?”

“Don’t say that.  Don’t even put that idea out into the world,” Gabriel tutted.  “Sure, you get your heat, but that's because it‘s supposed to lure your potential mate in.  Being…well, _fertile_ , isn’t exactly something alphas can sniff out.  At least, I don’t think.”

“It would be a reason to _keep_ us together…” Sam was nervous.  More like panic-stricken and scared, honestly.  “I mean, it’s kind of nature’s way of gluing us—”

“Stop.  I’m saying you’re fine.  Be positive, we’re a’okay!  Think about this...”  Gabriel spoke with such surety when he explained, “Why would the natural law allow you to conceive when you don’t have a mate yet?  Huh?  Maybe, if the heat-luring _worked_ , that’s when chances are high.  Put yourself into Survival Mode—look at an omega _without_ a mate.  True or false, _that_ omega isn't gonna do as well _mated_ knocked-up omegas.  So _why_ knock you up?  Think on the most basic level, it wouldn’t make sense.  _That’s_ how we figure outour biology.”

Sam nodded as he followed the alpha’s logic and confessed, “That…actually checks out.  Okay, thank you.”  He breathed a hefty sigh of relief, looping his arms around Gabriel and pulling him close.  “What would I do without you?”

“You wouldn’t be in heat, for one,” he groaned wryly against Sam’s chest.  “But we wouldn’t have this kick-ass future that needs to get here, like, ASAP—you know, the fairy tale one.  Because it _totally_ is, I know, you were wondering," he drew out the words with a certain mischief, before sighing.  "Goddamn, I know it wasn’t specifically _dirty talk_ , but thinking about leaving my mark…about us and the outside world, everyone knowing we belong to each other.  It’s something that gets me going, Sammy, I can’t explain it.”

“Now you know how I feel!”  The omega laughed and closed his eyes.  “Hopefully, tomorrow’s the last day.  Then we can make real plans.  I want—no, I _need to_.  I’m worried I’m gonna con you into mating me.  Hell, maybe I’ll mate you, and then you’ll have no choice.”    
  
When Sam verbalized those thoughts and realized how close they’d come (how far he’d tempted and pushed Gabriel) he decided, “Maybe tomorrow you...should just ignore me.  I mean, while I’m still in heat.  Make sure we’re both out of range from the other's necks.  Knot me from behind from now on—I don't trust myself anymore.”

After an elongated pause, Sam wondered if Gabriel had fallen asleep on him.  
  
Eventually, the alpha perked up, his tone showed he'd been mulling over Sam's order.  “Okay.  But only because you told me to!  You _gotta_ remember that, because I’ll miss kissing you.”

“I will, too,” Sam whispered with a tinge of mourning.  “But it’s a fail-safe.  To keep me from being aggressive about it, ’cause I know there's a chance.  I’m worried in that fog, there's something in me, like my inner omega, that'll try to make one last stand, you know?  Not just my inner omega,” Sam ruefully admitted, “my inner...me.”

“I do know.  We can’t help it, babe.  We all feel like we're spiraling, when we’re under the influence of our nature.  And we _will_ hold out.  You gotta remember, we're gonna make it special—we'll find the perfect time.”  Scenting Gabriel's confidence did wonders to refuel Sam's confidence.  “You're in good hands.  Promise, kiddo.”

“I know I am.  Sweet dreams, Gabriel.”

\-------------------------

Finally, friggin _finally_ , Sam’s fever burst all at once, while Gabriel mercilessly plowed into him on all fours (as requested) and, the moment the omega’s orgasm hit him, he felt his heat dissipate.

With a wanton moan of pleasure, Sam writhed and bucked backwards against his mate-to-be, needing to feel his knot pulsing before he shared the good news.  Shit, Sam could get used to this…he loved the intimate side of Gabriel, the primal way they fucked and the tender way they made love.  Both sides of the coin were equally mind-blowing and Sam couldn’t believe he got this lucky.

Feeling the rush of cum and knowing this was the last round, (no matter how unexpected) Sam was damn well gonna milk his alpha dry.

Gabriel didn’t know that.  This would be fun...

Just before he hauled Sam to his side, where they would have normally laid to relax and take a breather, the omega became an immovable force.  He clenched his muscles and ground against the cock buried inside him, tugging on Gabriel’s knot in all the right ways that drove the alpha insane.  Sam sat back, wrenching a shout from Gabriel, who came again.  But it wasn’t over.

With a positively wicked grin Gabriel couldn’t see, Sam continued to push and rock backwards.  The omega moved like a pendulum, aiming for that one teetering, tipping point that would send them toppling over.  He was fighting to gain momentum along with control, and he swayed—

Until Gabriel flailed down, flat to the mattress and asked, “Sam, what are you doing—?!”

Luckily, Sam easily followed the crash, settling where they were joined and ended up _exactly_ where he wanted to be.  In Gabriel’s lap.  On top of the alpha, in control, with Gabriel helpless and flush to the bed.

He glanced over his shoulder and ordered, “Bend your knees,” with a dirty, sensual drawl that had the alpha’s legs shooting upward.

Even though Sam didn’t have much room to move—Gabriel’s massive, thick knot unforgiving—he could still give him a damn good show.  Riding the alpha’s dick, reverse-cowgirl, slick covering Sam’s ass and thighs—the wet drip was practically glistening in the afternoon light, and Gabriel was not shy about rewarding him with praise.  
  
Yeah, he could give the alpha a show to remember—grinding on his knot, showing him the way they were tied together, how he wasn't going anywhere.  Sam could swivel his hips, bounce up and down with just enough slack for their wet bodies to slap together.  When he ground down, taking all of Gabriel's cock, knot and cum, he used the alpha's legs for purchase to really, _really_  get a good angle.  To pitch forward and fuck himself hard—

Gabriel made a strangled noise, before he managed, “Holy hell, baby!  Seeing my cock disappear inside you, feelin' how deep you're swallowing my knot—” he planted his heels and began thrusting upward, just moments away from his fourth orgasm, “You are _flawless—_ ”

This time, Sam felt the rush of cum acutely.  
  
He knew this position was dangerous, it would be so freakin’ simple to ease one more (shit, as many as he wanted) load of cum from the alpha…but Sam’s body wouldn’t have that.  He was already sore, in _all_ senses of the word.  No, Sam’s insides already felt re-arranged, he _couldn't_ push any further—

“L-Let’s lay down—”  The tables turned as Sam struggled to catch his breath, the stretch both jarring and alluring at the same time.  While neither had a breeding kink (or they wouldn’t say it aloud) visibly filling Sam up was something they _both_  got off on.    
  
As Gabriel followed the omega’s instructions and they curled up together, Sam announced, “My heat broke.   _Finally_ —” craning his neck backwards and smiling at his alpha.

“That’s great,” Gabriel encouraged, a beat passed while they both took time finding which was was up, relaxing against each other.  “Now you can get some real rest.  Wanna stay anchored here while I wait on you hand and foot?”

To be honest, Sam loved this little slice of paradise, but at the same time…

“Why don’t we head back out and cross the Atlantic?” he suggested.  “I meant it when I said we should check in at home.  Get my meds sorted.   Introduce you to the family.  Plus, if we keep a steady pace, it’ll be just over two weeks...kind of sounds like the ideal amount of resting time, huh?”  Sam had grabbed Gabriel’s hand and interlaced their fingers. “What do you think?”

“Solid plan,” the alpha agreed.  “Good’a time as any, right?  After we take today off, I’ll set the course and we can head back out.  It's gonna be a little longer than you're thinking, but it's not like more time together is a bad thing..."  While they'd taken off from Texas, both men (individually) knew Dean and Cas had moved back to Los Angeles—where Sam's psych doctor was—it all added up to a trip through the Panama Canal.  
  
The omega wasn't anticipating that part, not for a second.  His focus was somewhere else entirely.

“And…” Sam began slowly, hoping for two things—one: to prove it wasn’t just because he was in heat that he wished to mate.  Two: he prayed Gabriel's mind hadn't changed either.  “Maybe while we’re cruising and on schedule…we can seal the deal?”

Gabriel froze up, the omega a nervous wreck—    
  
When he thawed, he blurted, “You really meant all that?  It wasn’t just fever-dream stuff?  Because I’ll wait, like our initial plan, but if you’re game, I—”

“I am _totally_ game,” Sam emphasized, wanting to get them back on track.  “I know it’s you, I know it’s going to happen, and the sooner you haul my ass off the market—the happier I’m gonna be.”  True joy ignited when he spoke.  “You know what, I've always gotten looks because of my age, it makes alphas think I’m desperate, when I've never wanted them to begin with.  Turns out, there was a reason: I was made _for you_.  I meant what I said.  I want everyone knows it.”

“Jesus, be careful, my knot's barely starting to chill out.  Yer turning me back into a loaded gun,” Gabriel whimpered, holding very, _very_ still where they were connected.  “Yes!  We’ll both recoup.  We’ll have each other  _and_ our honeymoon on the way back."

Sam was giddy, agreeing enthusiastically, “I want it to be here.”  When he imagined it, something struck him as odd.  Something hadn’t been addressed, and it needed to be.  “What about you?  Are you okay wearing my mark…?”

It was something Sam had assumed, because he figured they were progressive—right?    
  
Except, now that he thought about it...he didn’t know anything about Gabriel’s upbringing, his beliefs.  Sam never thought _his_ future mate could have been raised in the old ways, but they  _happened_.  Shit, now he was scared for an entirely different reason, he'd jumped the gun, he'd—

Sam would still be Gabriel's omega, no matter the answer.  The fact they hadn’t directly addressed this was daunting.  It did the job of highlighting what their relationship was lacking—their avoidance of the past, since all Sam and Gabriel cared about between them was the present and the future.  They'd assumed their outlook, together, was good.    
  
Except, something like _this_ popping up so late in their courting before mating—?

The omega was so distracted, Gabriel used that opportunity to separate them— _damn,_ did that sloppy mess spread quick—Sam was in over his head (he'd done it to himself) and it wasn't limited to between his thighs.  He fruitlessly tried to cross them, contain it...it was utterly pointless.  
  
On any other day, he may have cared about doing today's laundry, but Sam was preoccupied.  He was still reeling over their lack of communication and—

“Duh, I’ll wear your mark,” Gabriel’s voice was assertive, spinning them to face each other.  “You’ve done a number on me, that’s for sure.”

Sam paused, because he _had to_ make sure he got this right: “Does that mean if this was a normal mating, you _wouldn’t_ wear a mark?”

“One!”  Gabriel pecked a kiss to the top of Sam’s nose.  “I never thought about mating.  And two, yeah, basically.  I didn’t want to bring it up, because I thought you might judge me—but with you?”   The alpha hummed happily and divulged, "I want everyone to know I’m yours.  I’m gonna wear it, loud and proud.”

“Wow—” he was breathless, this was big.

One's opinions on marks stemmed down to core beliefs—they were formed from values.  All the way down to their conceptions of what alpha and omega relationships _were_.  
  
Or maybe, Gabriel’s alpha simply didn’t want to be chained to anyone publicly, Sam knew he wasn’t the kind of person to believe omegas were the lesser.  Him changing his thoughts on a mating mark that would be worn and shown for life—this was a grand gesture, _The_ Grand Gesture.

“I-I’m not judging,” Sam stressed and cupped Gabriel’s cheeks, smiling.  “What was your reason?  What made you change your mind?"

“Well...”  Initially, Gabriel was hesitant to meet his eyes, which was a feat by itself.  There was no where else to look but Sam.  “Like I said, I never _planned_ on being mated.  I figure if ithappened, the reason wouldn't be mine.  Whether it was arranged, someone got knocked up, whatever, I just had this…gut feeling it'd be because of a mistake.  To make it okay, I bargained, I told myself ‘hey—at least _they_ can’t mark _me_ without permission!’"  A smile softened his features when he brushed their noses together and said, "Then you threw out the rule book and…here we are...”

“Gabriel—” Sam found himself stunned.  “I can't tell if you thought you'd always be alone or if you never wanted someone at all.  But I'm not apologizing for my luck.  All I can say is you won’t regret it.”

“I like to think it’s because I was waiting for you,” Gabriel decided and wiggled his eyebrows.  When Sam narrowed his own, the alpha sighed in defeat.  “I never get attached.  It takes a lot to catch my interest.  Even more to _hold it_.  When I was younger, I looked, you know?  I really tried.  One after the other—they flunked every test I put out there.  No one was worth my time.”

“That’s intimidating, you know that, right?” the omega used a playful tone, except he was only half-joking—he was well-acquainted with Gabriel’s _unique_ attention span.

“True mates, babe.  Nothing tops that.  I feel it with every bone in my body.”  He overlapped Sam’s hands cradling his cheeks with his own, and surged forward to kiss him—thoroughly and completely.  “I’m friggin hooked.  I could never get enough of you, kid.  You just caught that, right?  How easily you can change my mind without trying?  Everything I thought I knew is...different, better, 'cause I’ve got you guiding me.”

Sam’s cheeks tinged pink, subtle in color, and leagues different from his fevered heat.  That didn't make the emotions surging through his veins any less overwhelming.  
  
The omega could say with confidence, “We should rest up.  We’ll stay in this cove.  I'll _help_ you, no fighting me on this, clean tomorrow, then we'll sleep the day away.  We need our energy ready for a night of celebration and planning.”  He huffed with sheer wonder when he said, “We made it.  I can’t wait to be yours.”

“We'll belong to each other, Sammy.  There’s no guessing, I’ll wear your mark proudly.”

Yeah, the butterflies Sam felt were as real as ever.  They continued to come alive—multiplying, since the last time they'd visited—after well over a half-year in each other’s company.  It attested to their bond and how they both knew they'd hold strong without doubt.  Sam eagerly looked forward to the next time he felt that flutter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Art for this chapter, by Krisn5 is located [Right Here!](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15907038)  
> It's linked instead of embedded in the text, because it's NSFW, so enjoy <3


	7. Chapter Six

If he had the chance to piece together his ideal omega, if he could construct a courting, step-by-step, Gabriel still couldn't have planned anything as perfect as what he had.  Not even close. 

Through trials, their friendship, and muddled chaos in-between: the build-up was testing them, seeing if they were prepared for something real.  It worked, the alpha's world revolved around Sam.  Gabriel was no longer a bundles of nerves, driven mad from sexual frustration and keeping his hands to himself.  Together, they’d worked beyond all that.  Sam was…

Gabriel shook his head and sighed a heavy, “Holy fuck,” as he stared out onto the ocean from within the bridge.

Surreal didn't begin to describe it.  Know Sam was his...was going to be his.  That they'd soon be joining their lives and Gabriel would never have to be without with him.  That had been a niggling reality in the back of his head, something that gutted him shortly after they'd found their easy dynamic out on the ocean.  Knowing the journey would inevitably end.  God, it felt amazing to know theirs was only beginning.  
  
Their love was as real as the ship and Gabriel was overwhelmed.  The fact he was sitting here, plugging in the course to cruise back across the Atlantic, and eventually through the Panama Canal, was meaningful on for million different reasons.  Yeah, he’d have to come back and check everything often, steer through parts of the voyage, take time to account for weather, tides and tasks.  Setting her girl on cruise tonight (after making damn sure the conditions were undoubtedly favorable for autopilot) was meant for one special reason.

Mating.

They would have weeks to themselves, only the two of them, without distractions and nothing but wide open ocean.  Right here—this was Gabriel’s idea of Heaven.  Having Sam by his side out on the water, Sam; in whatever form he came in.  He loved the omega as a lover, a future mate, and a traveling companion, equally.  That was how it began, after all.  It was during their travels when his feelings continued to grow—knowing their bond was infinitely deeper.

Ever since day one on the docks—he knew Sam was special, that he was the one.  Although, when he didn't respond in return, Gabriel had to abandon that idea, never thinking Sam would be his.  Fate smiled on him, now the alpha would be the one to keep Sam's kind of special.

For as excited and giddy he was about the upcoming events, Gabriel apprehension around one topic...circled.  It was on a loop, echoing in his brain.

His brother and his mate.

Their, uh, _connection_.  That was a giant pile of shit waiting to hit the fan.

Gabriel wanted Sam to be happy, and facts were facts.  The timeline was the best he could’ve done—the moment Gabriel realized there may be  _something_ there, he completely cut the couple off.    
  
Hell, he’d x'd out Cas and Dean while he was waiting around for Sam to be ready, praying for something that may never happen.  All Gabriel was going off, was hope.  It had panned out, but now there was a skeleton in his closet.

He refused to be their spy, he could and would take care of Sam—on _his_  terms.  Dean, a typical alpha-big-brother, did _not_ need to know every detail that happened on the journey.    
  
It was something that bothered Gabriel early on.  How…irritatingly _clingy_ Dean was.  As though Sam was gonna break, like fine china.  Like he thought the kid was planning to hop into another abduction, but for fucking real—?

Dean gave his brother no credit.  Zero.  Zip.  At the time, Gabriel barely knew Sam but he recognized a man who could take care of himself.  Yes, a _man_.  Not an omega.  Gabriel didn’t see individuals in terms of designation, and if he did: Sam defied them on all accounts.

The amount of questions he’d gotten from Dean were ridiculous.  It was like a goddamn interrogation!  Some of them stood to reason, others were stalker-like.

Yeah, asking if Sam had had any episodes or problems with his PTSD made sense.  If Sam was all right with an alpha traveling companion—cool.  Whether people were recognizing him on the main lands or if he could go incognito to explore as he wanted, fine!

Over and over, Gabriel would answer these nit-picking inquires.  But the one thing Dean  _never_ asked that rubbed him the wrong way (maybe because he was already in love or whatever) was: is Sam happy?

Dean would ask if Sam was ‘getting what he wanted.’  Words like ‘need,’ ‘being okay,’ and ‘playing it smart and safe’ came up, but never _happy_.  
  
Why?

Due to the amount of second-hand interrogation, Gabriel _was_ nervous to meet Dean.   _Especially_ because he’d be introduced to him as Sam’s alpha mate.  Not Cas' brother.  But, dammit, he was proud of it, except: he didn’t know how to handle this guy!  Plus, there was  _Sam’s_ disclaimer of he and his brother being ‘really close.’

Sure, Dean was Cas’ mate, they’d been together for a helluva long time and he’d never heard anything bad—per se—but he also didn’t check in with his own brother as much as he should.  Gabriel loved Cas, that’s why he did him this favor in the first place.  That, combined with the obvious profit, and then the deal sealed _itself_ when he caught a glimpse of the stunning omega.  
  
Still, it all _began_ with Cas!

The mated couple already knew they were banging.  Gabriel beamed, thinking how Dean must have flipped when Sam put out the SOS call for birth control.  God, he’d love to see that chucklehead’s face!  But banging and _mating_?  Totally different.

It looked like Sam wanted to surprise the couple, too.

Depending on their mood, fuck, that reaction would make or break everything.

Castiel…did not have a good poker face.  He’d undoubtedly stare, squint, turn his head like a baby bird and say something stupid like, “We didn’t pay you to mate him!” and it'd all go to hell in a handbasket.

At the same time, Gabriel felt no desire whatsoever to give Dean or Cas the heads-up.

Maybe a part of him selfishly wanted to keep him and Sam inside their own little paradise for as long as they could—the outside world remaining just that.  Outside.  Gabriel wanted to indulge, to spoil his omega, and once they hit land (in the United States, no less) the illusion would be over.

He’d have to bench his Amphitrite.  Sam would be wide open to paparazzi attacks, wherever he went, they'd demand to know if the overseas sightings were real.  Fuck, Gabriel may find his own picture in the gossip columns...who was his kidding, there was no 'maybe' about it.  He hadn’t expected  _that_ in his five-year plan!  
  
Although he liked to live life off the radar and he may be wanted in a few countries for some misdemeanors, he’d still proudly stand next to his omega.  Fearlessly show the world he loved Sam Winchester: his mate.

Why was the scrutiny of the media less daunting than imagining the showdown with Dean-o and Cas?

“How’s it going?” Sam’s voice was cheerful behind him and everything else fell away now that Sam was here.

Gabriel spun around in his chair and gestured him closer.  “Lovely!  Do you need help getting those supplies for the trip?”

“Done and done.”  He flaunted a cocky grin before walking across the room and kicking Gabriel’s legs open, so he could kneel between them, resting against his thighs.  “We’re ready to head out when you are, Captain.”

“Mm, please tell me we can actually role-play this?” Gabriel casually threaded his fingers through Sam’s hair and tugged.  “We’ll have time, you know…”

“Don’t stop…feels good.“  The omega leaned into his touch and looked so damn content.  It made Gabriel’s alpha blossom with joy and preen, ducking down to kiss Sam's forehead and continue the carding motion.

“Speaking of feeling good, how are you recovering from your heat?” he posed the question he’d been wondering all day.

Sam flashed a beaming smile, his arms reaching out to loop around Gabriel’s waist.  “For someone who told me we could wait as long as we wanted, you’re being pretty impatient.”

“Um, excuse me?”  Gabriel rolled his eyes, “Sexy omega between my legs?  What the hell else am I gonna be thinking about?  I _did_ ask about the supplies when you first walked in!”

“I’ll give you that.”  Sam’s scent turned mischievous, if not dangerous.  “I think I'm ready.  I can take another week of your cock, your knot, and your cum leaving me raw and useless.”  He rose from his haunches to his feet, capturing Gabriel’s undivided attention.  “I know mates need a bonding period.  A biological honeymoon.  I’m ready, the real question is,” he surged forward and brushed the barest hint of teeth across Gabriel’s neck, “Are you, alpha?”

A shiver raked through his body, Gabriel eyeing his smug omega with hunger.

“You really wanna start this now, Sammy?”  He tightened the fist he still had tangled in Sam’s hair, hard enough to wrench his head and bare his neck.  “Fuck, am I ready.  And you being a dirty tease, you're playing with fire.”

Sam sucked his bottom lip into his mouth, gaze darkening with lust, and he refused to look away.  Gabriel loved this about Sam, this bold defiance.  
  
He’d allow the alpha to completely dominate him in bed, only after he gave Gabriel permission.  There were other times when Sam wouldn't go down without a fight—he was fire, muscle and ambition.  This expression underneath the alpha was what he lived for, blood was rushing to his cock, Sam brought out something feral in him.

Gabriel glance down and saw, yes, he was tenting his shorts.  He clucked his tongue, admonishing, “Look what you’ve done…”

Sheer confidence radiated from Sam as he raked his nails down Gabriel’s thighs.  He was nonchalantly as could be, saying, “Why do you think I’m down here in the first place?” with a raised eyebrow.

“Holy hell—” Gabriel growled out, “You’re gonna be the death of me.”

“No dying yet,” the omega playfully taunted, unwavering as he reached out to unbutton and unzip his fly.  “I need you.  And right now,” Sam gestured down to the precum-drooling, heavy cock in his hand, “I think you need me.  Specifically, my mouth.”

“ _Holy fuck—_ ” Gabriel cursed and rolled his hips into Sam’s grasp, chuckling, “Could you be anymore perfect?”

The omega licked his lips and the heat from his whisper warmed Gabriel's dick.  “Not sure, how about you tell me after you knot my mouth?”

“God, I love you.”

\---------------------------

While Gabriel had run the idea of a romantic hotel by Sam, but he said the two of them on the Amphitrite was exactly what he wanted.  They were at home, right here, and he wouldn’t have it any other way.  The alpha was downright ecstatic, Sam fit so perfectly into his life—like magic, and soon...their lives would intertwine. 

Once they'd departed, it was a matter a waiting game, needing to put distance between them and the port.  The yacht needed wide-open, clear and traffic-free ocean.  Gabriel had duties as a captain, he checked—and triple-checked—everything on the route.  He was making certain putting the boat on autopilot was something he wouldn’t have to worry about.  While they were making their initial trek back across the Atlantic, it was more than that—this was _their_ night.

There was tension before they set sail, an anticipatory, excited kind of tension, the kind you could cut with a damn knife.

Even the smallest of small talk was difficult because they wanted to eat each other alive.  They still gave it a go, honestly trying so hard.

“Where’s home for you?  Besides here,” Sam wondered, attempting to eat (even though he had no appetite) and watching the alpha with a hyper-awareness.  “I know we’re heading back to my home, but I don’t even know where you’re from.”

“Does it worry you?” Gabriel teased him, taking a bite of his sandwich as he thought over the situation, rather than the question.  “We have the rest of our lives to work out the nitty-gritty, babe.  Don’t get down on yourself 'cause you can't write a book on me yet.  I got lucky, because— _unfortunately_ , your story was plastered on the news.”  With a quirked grin, Gabriel proudly said, “Guess who’s gonna protect you from that from now on?”

“Seriously?”  The omega raised a questioning eyebrow.  “You think you can lay siege and battle the circus?”

“Kid, I _am_ a damn circus!  Ain’t no one’s gonna mess with my mate.  You haven’t seen me posture yet—I’m more alpha than you know!”  He was almost reluctant to say it.  Almost.  He wanted to reassure Sam, and by doing so, the omega's interest was piqued.

He asked instantly, “What does that mean?”

“Just what I said.”  Gabriel shrugged.  “I’ve gotta lot of alpha in me.  If I want someone to back the fuck off, they’ll do it.  I promise.  I meant what I said ’bout takin’ care of you.  Oh, I’m originally from Chicago.”

Laughter burst from Sam’s chest and he was so damn happy.  “Trust me, I’m gonna need that alpha.  It's strange I never felt it, or rather—felt intimidated by it.  I’m usually sensitive to those things, it’s why I…uh, used to be helpful with the undercover investigations.  My gut and my nose picked up everything and I could keep my head down.  That, and flying under the radar were my specialties.”

“Don't feel bad.  You’re the last person I’d aim any posturing at, babe.  I’d never go all-alpha on you.  But when you see it...” Gabriel flashed an impish grin, “It’ll probably make your panties drop.”

Sam scoffed and tried out sound put-out, “Sorry, not a kink of mine.”

“That’s too bad.”  Gabriel said offhandedly, “Your ass would look _phenomenal_ in lace.”

“Shut up,” he chuckled and realized they were... _finally_ , easily and simply chatting.

They’d finished dinner and become distracted enjoying each other.  That moment of dawning made Sam’s jaw drop open as he realized aloud, “Gabe, nothing’s…stopping us.”

Those words sent a wave of urgency shooting through the air, like someone had lit the match and everything was going to burn down around them.

“C’mon, let’s hit it.  I’ll do dishes later,” Gabriel rushed out and flagged Sam to follow.  He rushed through the hallways, sprinting to Sam’s safe haven, both stripping clothes as they went.

By the time they hit the mattress, they were naked and grabbing one another for warmth.  All while seeking friction.  It was desperate in a divine way, when their gaze met— _they knew_ —the time was now.  They'd finally belong to each other, a pair locked together through mirrored marks, bound by unrelenting love.  The alpha and omega were making the choice to give themselves away _and_ stake their own claim.

Sam quivered when Gabriel spread his cheeks, dragging his fingers between them.  “You’re just as wet as you were in heat, Sammy.  Fuck, that’s so sexy.”

He whimpered, swiveling his hips and trying to catching the teasing fingers.  Yes, he _was_ both achingly hard and gushing slick like a goddamn waterfall—he  _needed touch_.  “M-maybe even wetter than my heat.  Never wanted anything as bad as this, as _you_.”

“Jesus,” Gabriel groaned, plunging his fingers in, and earning a delicious shout.  It was short lived: the alpha was only looking to coat his fingers.  He raised them to his mouth and Sam watched as he lapped up every drop of slick.  “So good.  I’m gonna eat you out tonight, baby.  First, I’m gonna claim you—and then?  I’ll have my way with you, over and over.  I’m feeling _real_ creative.”

“Dammit, Gabriel—”  Sam's overpowering hunger was making him weak, he was glad to be laying on his back because his knees would’ve given out.  With a husky voice, his scent pulsing with carnal desire, he ordered, “Mate me.”

“Hell yeah—”

The words rumbled under his breath, while Gabriel lined up and plunged inside.  Sam was beautifully tight again for the alpha—during their downtime (their post-heat ‘rest’) Sam decided to use his mouth during playtime for this exact reason.  Gabriel was overwhelmed by the sensation, Sam in turn, and they could both feel every hot, wet slide—every long drag—of his cock.

There was no question, Sam had soaked down through the sheets, the slap of their skin coming together was a filthy sound that added to the moans and other obscenities in the room.    
  
Yet, despite that…their _words_ were heard the loudest.  What transcended the down, dirty and erotic distractions, were words of _love_ —

“G-Gabriel, I’m so damn close, I-I need it.  Need you,” Sam gasped, catching the instant the alpha licked his lips.  “You ready?”

“Ready to be with you, 'til the end,” Gabriel kissed Sam hard—pouring in all the passion and affection he could muster—before retreating with a determination.  “I love you, Sam Winchester.”

Everything happened in a culmination of emotions, sensations and Sam’s heart spilling over the brim.  The sharp flare of pain hardly registered, his focus was wrapped up in Gabriel.  The feeling of belonging: it wasn’t a _word_ anymore.    
  
It was the omega's  _reality_.

Finally, Sam _felt_ the spark true mate insanity Gabriel must have felt, must _be feeling_ constantly, and—dear God—it was glorious.  Just a small taste, and Sam wanted it all—

Still—the omega had a job to do!  
  
He couldn’t let go and bask inside this phenomenon, not yet: he had to return the favor.  And if it was anything like what Gabriel had just given him?  Sam needed to gift his alpha with every breathtaking moment—  
  
Sam had so much to reward Gabriel for, and hopefully; this was a start.

He must have looked glaze over.  Since Gabriel was supporting the back of his head, mouth red with blood, with concern (hah—if only he knew) etched into his feature.  “Sammy?  Are you—”

Sam  _had_ to spring into action.  He regained control, flashing a reassuring, radiant smile.  “Oh, alpha, I feel _alive_.  I feel complete.  Bare your neck, let me show you.”

That's when Sam realized Gabriel's knot was already locked inside him.  The alpha's the biology worked to their advantage—Sam _would_ make him cum again in no time.  With a force he'd never experienced before.

Gabriel did just as Sam asked, he extended his neck and held his breath.

Instinct took over.  What to do, when to stop, how to staunch the bleeding, everything about the act was ingrained into his genetic make-up.  Claiming his alpha was easier than Sam expected, it felt natural.  He was moving first and he'd ask questions later, only—those questions never came...his body answered them on their own.

All while Gabriel cursed, shouted out and bucked wildly, spilling inside Sam again and again.

The omega's concern only lasted a moment.  Soon, just like this own instincts, the alpha's kicked in.  A sense of serenity and calm washed over—like he was in-tuned and synchronized with Sam, his scent, his essence—

Now that the omega thought about it, perhaps Gabriel was.

Holy shit.

“Thank you.  For giving this to me,” Sam whispered, and could swear he felt their heartbeats link up when their foreheads pressed together.  He couldn't wait to say the words, “We did it,  _mate_.”

“Gotta say, I love the sound of that, _mate_ ,” Gabriel returned, his scent vibrant and flourishing.  “Nothing to thank.  We…did it together.  All of it.  Gave this to each other.  Fuck, I’ve never been this happy.”

“I felt it.  Feel it.”

Gabriel paused, wondering if Sam would continue or elaborate.  When he didn’t, his curiosity got to him.  “Feel what, Sammy?  'Cause I'm feeling _a lot_.”

“The true mate bond.  When we—when _you—_ mated me, it was like I was seeing in living color again.  I could feel the passion, the actual _magnetism_ , everything that makes sense for true mates to feel.  Now, more than ever, I wanna be home.”  Sam pressed meaning into the words, “I wanna taper off the meds that block me from you.  It’s too beautiful, Gabe.   _You’re_ too beautiful.”

“Aw, shucks...”  He chuckled, how could Gabriel argue with that?  Sam laid it out in a way he couldn’t.  “I’ll be there to support you.  Whatever you decide to do.”

“Thank God, I honestly do appreciate it.”  Sam kissed Gabriel tenderly and wondered aloud, “Is it strange I feel invincible?”

“Funny, I was gonna say the exact same thing!”  The alpha couldn't have phrased it better himself—he was on top of the world.  “And remember, I _am_ having my way with you all night long.”   With a suggestive roll of his hips, Gabriel asked, “Think you can handle that?”

Sam returned the favor, hiking his leg up and pitching his pelvis down.  While Gabriel's cock pressed inside him, deeper, he whispered, “You better keep your promises, Gabe…” ripping a gasp from his mate.

“Holy fuck, what have I gotten myself into—!”  The devilish grin on his face was thrilled, stealing the air from Sam’s lungs, kissing him until he couldn’t breathe.  “You are my true mate, you know that?”

“Y-yeah.  Funny, how it all works out,” Sam taunted, kissing his swollen lips.  “Good thing we’ve both got a sense of humor…”

\----------------------------------

The season was warm, straight-up hot along the course Gabriel charted—even the sea breeze wasn’t enough to flow through the cabin.  Plus, their blood was hotter than usual.  
  
It made it more difficult to avoid a dip in the ocean since they were on a voyaging ship.  This wasn't like Sam's heat, they couldn't easily dive in.  Gabriel had time to make up for because of all their slowing down, idling and cruising again.  Random swimming would have to be factored into the schedule from now on, and neither had the time nor the drive (or the stocked resources) to even think about that.  
  
It didn't matter, taking advantage of their isolation and time together was more important—no matter how fast the Amphitrite was going.

That ‘biological honeymoon period’ Sam had alluded to?  It was so fucking real.  They couldn’t keep their hands off one another.

It translated to quickies in the galley, Gabriel tackling Sam to the nearest bed when they were below deck, and the mood was right—just as it was now—seeing exactly how durable the lounge chairs on the deck were.

Feeling the sun on every inch of their bodies was a unique sensation.  It was also tactical, because _technically_ —Gabriel was still in position to keep an eye out on the horizon.    
  
Even though there was no way in hell he was tearing his eyes away from his mate—because, holy fuck, being able to watch the other move under the bright beaming sun rays—it was the best thing _ever_.  Out here, there was no need to edit themselves or worry about the volume of their moans, no ships would pass.  
  
A tiny part of them felt like they were doing something wrong.  It  _heightened_ every second of electricity they already gained being together.

Sam had sunk down on Gabriel’s cock, riding him with his hands clenching the back of the chair for leverage.  It began with a casual make-out and escalated insanely (as in: new record) quickly—into both of them throwing off their boxers, the wind thankfully whipping the garments back into the boat, instead the damn ocean.  Not that they would have noticed.    
  
They couldn’t help their frantic hands, and the moment Sam was wet, he ordered his mate to fill him up.  To take full advantage of the slick Gabriel inspired, by showing the alpha exactly what he did to Sam.

Growling low in his throat, Gabriel's hands rose and fell along the tanned expanse of Sam’s naked and on-display body.  Except, the alpha in him was greedy, this thirst coiling in Gabriel's gut demanded more—this wasn’t enough, _not yet_ —

Every time Sam sunk down, every time their body slammed together, Gabriel would try to fuck into his mate, but he  _couldn’t_ get the footing he needed.

Sam…he looked fucking stunning in the luminous sun—Gabriel was captivated.  His view left nothing to the imagination, the omega was a vision, downright mouth-watering.  He memorized every detail to save in his head, to treasure and take with him.  
  
The sweat from the unforgiving rays bearing down and the hungry build-up, it was glistening over Sam’s body—accenting the peaks and valleys of his muscles.  The hair he’d tied back was coming loose from Gabriel’s wandering hands and the brutal impact of their hips.  
  
— _And_ the mark.

Gabriel couldn’t even begin to describe what the brand on Sam's neck did to him—still fresh and vivid.  It awakened something primal, deep down inside him.  Their true mate connection had bonded on a spiritual level, it flooded his system and he couldn’t stop indulging in everything Sam.

It wasn’t the most graceful of moves, but Gabriel snatched up the edge of the towel padding the chair and Sam’s waist.  He used his alpha strength to heave them up and over, until they toppled, crashing onto the deck.

The chairs were low, and Gabriel made damn sure to take the brunt of the impact.  He’d run out of patience!  Gabriel maneuvered the beach towel around and splayed Sam out on the fabric.  Underneath him.  Where _the alpha_  now held the reins.

With the wind knocked from his lungs, Sam’s jaw fell open and his eyes widened in shock.  Quickly regaining his composure, he rolled his shoulders and chuckled.

“Of course, I mated a typical alpha in the end, didn’t I?”  Sam wore a grin made of pure, elated mischief as he squeezed his knees around Gabriel’s waist.

Taking advantage of the new angle, Gabriel began to snap his hips forward.  “Nothin’ typical about me, Sammy.  You know that.”

He choked down a wanton moan and began rolling his body into Gabriel’s, quick to find their rhythm again.  “Mm, still.  You and y-you’re need to be in control.  Just can’t give that up, can you?”

“It’s about you, not me.”  He ducked down just enough to kiss a high arc along Sam’s chiseled stomach, praising, “Can’t have you looking so goddamn gorgeous and _not_ have my way with you.  I’m only human.”

“R-right there!” Sam ordered, his entire body quaking underneath Gabriel’s touch.  “Don’t stop—”

Gabriel found it funny—as if there was ever a chance he'd stop, even if wanted.  His knot was already thickening beyond Sam's rim, and so long as he kept up—

He intended to enjoy the show.  The expressive rapture on Sam’s face, illuminated by this brilliant (albeit, sizzling) afternoon, feeling gratification in every moment of his mate's pleasure.

The omega surged up off the deck and wrapped his arms around Gabriel, kissing him fiercely.  Sam dissolved into whimpers and moans, his grasp slackening just enough to Gabriel's advantage, covering them both in his release.  The way Sam clenched and tugged around his rapidly-swelling knot—it sparked Gabriel’s orgasm to life so damn quickly, he had to hold on tight—rocking and clinging back onto Sam.

Lips brushed over marks, sending shivers and tremors through their bodies—the amazing reminder they belonged to each other all over again.  Each moment, each caress over tender marks, it worked to keep their own fire burning longer, until the inevitable collapse.  Both men were panting and exhausted, they barely had enough energy to hold each other.

It was only when they were catching their breath that Sam, giddy with delight, found another wind.  “We keep doing this in all our random and exotic locations, we’re gonna break something.  Or us.”

“We already broke the griddle,” Gabriel snickered, “No more waffles for you.”

“Oh.  Yeah.   _That_.”  Sam laughed at the memory and locked eyes with his mate.  “I love you.”

Gabriel leaned in and pecked a kiss right on the tip of Sam's nose.  “Love you, too.  And I love every second of this crazy trip.”

“It had been pretty crazy, huh.”  The omega’s voice took a turn towards wistful, even though his scent was unfettered joy.

“Something on your mind?” Gabriel asked after a silent beat Sam never filled.

“No.  I’m just taking this all in.  I wanna remember it all…” he responded shyly.

“That’s funny,” the alpha hummed out, “I was thinking the exact same thing.”

\--------------------

With their days filled with play and Sam distracting Gabriel from steering, night time was just that—a time to sleep.

Gabriel and Sam were ruled by logic this time—unlike when one (Sam) was in the haze of their cycle where time didn't exist.  They chose the moments they spent together.  Some nights, the alpha had a date with a pot of coffee in the bridge overnight, and he would _insist_ Sam slept.  The omega would try, he really would—but that empty space in his bed where Gabriel was supposed to be...it got to him.  For that very reason, they also wanted to take advantage of falling asleep together—when Gabriel's duty's allowed—whenever they could.  

It was one of the small things that had built trust in the beginning.  Even when Sam didn’t know they were true mates, one of the reasons that his faith in Gabriel knew no bounds was because he felt safe in the arms of the alpha.  With Gabriel watching over him.  Trusting him with his insecurities and nightmares.

From the start, they created something important, it was unspoken and sacred: a bond.  If they were able to sleep—there was no hesitation.

Once upon a time, it had been about helping Sam through the nightmares and an off-color camaraderie.  Now, it was intimate and between lovers.

They were allowed to get as close as they wanted, the lines vanished, and Sam didn't have to think twice about editing his words.

What they built was special, it was beautiful and Sam....he didn't _need_ to look up at the skyline above his bed to know that he was safe.  
  
His nose reassured him.  He didn't need his safety net in the stars, what Sam needed was the beating heart next to him—the steady breaths and familiar, warm scent of mate.

“I think…”  There was a barely-contained glee in Gabriel’s voice, “I think you may be purring, Sammy.”

“No,” he said much too quickly.  “ _You_ are.  Not me.”

“Hah.  All right, whatever you gotta tell yourself.”  Gabriel kissed his forehead, and Sam was lucky the sun had long since set.  He could _feel_ himself blushing.

…Had he really been…?  Well, now that he thought about it—why should he be embarrassed, right?

“Say that I _was_.  I think you’re to blame, you know.”

Gabriel’s scent rushed with a new kind of happiness, something even brighter.  That same warmth colored his admission of, “Okay.  I’ll take credit for that.  Gladly.”


	8. Chapter Seven

The honeymoon phase of being mated was living a dream.  Not one of Sam's usual dreams, either—it was an honest-to-God fantasy, come to life.

Sam prayed it never ended—Gabriel was the perfect mate in every way he could have imagined.  He took care of Sam, tended to needs both big and small, like the loving, protective alpha should, and for once…Sam didn’t feel bad about it.  In fact, he just let his mate go for it, because he knew Gabriel got pleasure from the doting.

And the amazing, massive amount of sex.

They’d teased each other relentlessly as they made their way back over the Atlantic, seeing ‘what kind of damage.'  The Amphitrite treated them well.  It was a little over a three week trip and soon after Gabriel navigated through the Panama Canal, they were sore in the best ways.  The latest update—they were _three days_ away from shore!

Sam was absolutely thrumming with excitement, and the closer the day came, the more trouble he had sleeping.  Usually, Gabriel was there to assist him with whatever he needed to be coaxed back to bed.  Sometimes his scent was enough, other times aerobic sex was a... _holistic_ cure for insomnia.  
  
Something about this evening...Sam was on a hair-trigger.

His alpha was KO’d, and for one of the first times (Sam’s bed was too damn dirty to spend the night on, truthfully) they were curled up in Gabriel’s bed.  That was when Sam heard not only static from a transmission, but a familiar _voice_.

He shot up out of bed in confusion and silently padded across the room, leaving his mate blissfully unaware, and firmly closing the door behind him.

Sam ascended the stairs into the bridge where the radio was going crazy with activity.  

Bafflement and shock made Sam freeze, because the words, “Gabriel?  Hey, _Gabriel_!” were undeniably the demands of his Sam's _own brother_.

Why the fuck would _Dean_ know his mate’s name?  Why would he be trying to contact him?

Sam had to move quickly before Dean’s shouting roused the alpha from his sleep.  Sam dialed down the volume on the radio and acted quickly.

He couldn’t give away that it was him on the other line, not at first.  So when Dean said, “I fuckin’ _swear to God_ , if you don’t respond—”  
  
Sam sent an outgoing transmission—but it was white noise.

Proof there was someone on the other line.  Who Dean would assume was Gabriel.  Sam couldn’t speak, not yet.

There was sheer relief in Dean’s voice at first when he said, “Jesus!  Thank fucking God this thing even got through!  What’s the damn report?!  You don’t get to go dark on me, not if you wanna get paid!  I swear to God, I _never_ shoulda listened to Cas, you’re a pain in the ass!”

Wait…a report?  On Sam?

The omega doubled over, like he’d been punched in the gut, he felt like the blood in his veins had turned to ice because…Gabriel had been _hired_.  By his brother—

…To fucking baby-sit him?

Sam should have fucking known Dean wouldn’t have simply let him go without having eyes on him!  Like a fucking normal person.  But the fact that it was _Gabriel_ , who he loved with every fiber in him, who he’d finally let down his guard for, who he’d decided to give himself to, pledged to spend his life with...was this all _a con?_

He tried not to choke on the words, he tried to keep his voice even when he grabbed the com and pressed the button.  “Dean…is Gabriel on your payroll?  Did you h-hire him?”

A length of static airspace collected in the room, and Sam began his fight to muffle any fucking tears threatening.  He knew his brother was picking and choosing his words very, very carefully.

“Oh, hey, Sammy!”  It cheerfully forced, _so_ fucking _forced_ , “How’ve you been?  How’s your trip goin’?”

“Dean.  Answer the fucking question.”  His voice was so sharp it could cut glass.

“Uh, see, I dunno how to answer your question, exactly.  Because Gabriel is Cas’ brother, so technically he’s family, and we were just givin’ him a bonus to help with traveling expenses.”

“And spying on me.   _You_ put him in my path.  To watch me!  You couldn’t just let me go!  Y-you,” Sam had to release his grip before he began uncontrollably shaking and dropped the radio.

“Woah, woah, woah, Sammy!” Dean sounded flabbergasted, “I get it, it was a shitty thing to do, but we’ll get over it, all right?  I promise, I’ll back off.  I won’t pull that crap again.”

Slowly, Sam put the radio up to his mouth and mournfully announced (rather than the previous, overwhelming joy he’d been filled with when imagining how he’d tell his brother), “Heh, trust me, you _won’t_ be able to pull it again.  We’ll be back in the States in three days.  Oh, and we’re mated.”

Sam never let go of the receiver, even as his voice broke and his free hand tugged furiously at his hair, blurting out, “Now that I know I was just a job, I have no idea which parts were even real.  If _we’re_ real, if this is real… Congrats, Dean.  Your babysitting gig landed me in a bullshit lie of lifelong commitment!  I _love him_ so fucking much, and now I know _why_ it was all too good to be true!”

He slammed the radio down, barely hearing a, “No, _no—_ fuck—Sam!  It’s _not—_ ” before he shut it down.

‘Shutting it down’ was putting it nicely.

Sam ripped the entire goddamn thing from the wall and kicked the machine into the deck.  He stomped and smashed the radio it until it was a useless pile of spare parts, now unrecognizable, demolished to the point it was nearly flattened metal and flush with the damn floor.

In the moment, Sam wasn’t thinking, but he should have known it was enough noise to wake up and draw out the alpha.  

When Gabriel threw open the door, he took a look at the scene with surprise, then scented the air.  The second he saw the tear stains on Sam’s face, he became frantic.  Gabriel rushed toward the omega, urging, “Sammy, what’s wrong?  Are you okay?  Tell me what's—” but Sam instantly recoiled.  Gabriel’s confusion grew exponentially when his mate wouldn’t let the alpha touch him.  “Hey.  Talk to me.”

Sam collapsed against the starboard bench, battling to get his breath under his control again.  “You.   _You_ were planted.  F-from the very beginning.”  He slowly turned his focus from the floor to a gobsmacked Gabriel and scoffed, “Was any— _any_ of that true mate shit real?  Because you _know_ my nose doesn’t work, this could all be made-up bullshit!  How long have you been tattling on me?  How much is my brother paying you?!”

“Sammy,” Gabriel’s voice was soft, approaching it as though Sam was a wounded animal—in a way, he was.  “Yeah.  I may have gone in ‘planted.’  In everyone’s best interest.  But when I met you?  Nothin’ could’ve prepared me for that.  You _are_ my true mate.  Everything else…it fell away.  All I wanted was to protect you, hopefully—eventually, wanted to be with you.”

Slowly, although he risked his knees giving out and failing him, Sam stood.  With a bitterness, he spat at Gabriel, “Pretty big conflict of interest with Dean, isn’t it?   _Fucking_ the actual _mission_.  Bet he wasn’t happy about that.”

“I wouldn’t know,” the alpha shrugged his shoulders, and tried again to make contact.

The omega angrily wiped away tears, trying to elbow past his probable-mistake of a mate, but his attention was caught.  “What the fuck’s that supposed to mean?”

“I stopped giving him updates months and months ago.  Never took a cent of his money either.”  Gabriel dared to move in, to do _something_ , seizing Sam’s hand.  “I’m gonna guess he sounded pissed?  Is that what woke you up—bitching over the radio?  It’s ‘cause I told him I had things handled from here on out.  And he should mind his own damn business.”

The alpha pulled Sam a little closer using a grasp that hadn’t been retracted yet.  “Dean-o’s a stubborn jackass, but he did it from a place of love.  I was the one who got lucky.  I got to be your guide, spend all the time I could get by your side, tell you how much I love you—and, fuck, do I _mean it._  Sammy,” he demanded attention, and even though the omega was still wrecked, he gave it to him.

“You’re the best thing that has, or will  _ever,_ happen to me.  I don’t care where we started out.  Everything happens for a reason, right?  You can’t fake true mates, hate to break it to you.  And one day, your nose will work, and you’ll get to experience one of the most amazing phenomenons in the universe.  Yeah, my relationship with your bro may be a little strained.  But I still want it all.  All our plans of meeting your family when we dock.  Of you finally getting to feel what I feel and making plans with your MD.  Of us being together, being happy, and dammit, I _am_ gonna fight for it!”

What hurt the most, was that Sam could scent Gabriel’s passion.  His commitment, the truth to his words.  But still, the initial blow had struck the omega so hard, and trust was such a core part of who he was and what he needed—if their entire relationship was built on a lie…did that mean that Gabriel would continue to do just that, if he could get away with it?

“G-Gabriel,” Sam tried to blink away the free-flowing tears beading up in his eyes, the alpha looking almost as heartbroken as he felt.   _Almost_.  “I-I’m scared.  I’m hurt.  And I need to know if there’s anything, _anything_ , you’ve kept from me.  Please, I _can’t_ do this again, I might not be able to do this _at all…_ ”

“Babe…”  It was a hushed reassurance and he took both Sam’s hands, leading them down the stairs and back towards the bedroom.  They left the lights on, both sitting up—it was all too rigid and uncomfortable—their linked fingers the only point of contact.  They stuck with the common ground, Gabriel physically needing Sam, and Sam…simply letting him.  Even though he felt like a truck was weighing down his chest.

“I don’t know if this is something I kept from you,” Gabriel mused with a slightest grin, “But after that first day?  Knowing we had the potential for something epic?  I already wanted you, then when you actually started responding, it was your asshole of a brother in my head.  Screamin' at me, that I couldn’t make a move because of everything you’ve been through.  I was supposed to be your guide, your help, your guard: all while I _should have_ taken my cues off’a _you_.”

Sam blinked owlishly when, against all odds, he found a bit of humor.  “So even halfway across the world…Dean still found a way to cock-block me.”

The alpha snickered, “Pretty much.   _But_ I always respected you a whole helluva lot more than I wanted to do you.  So there’s that.”  Gabriel waited and watched Sam’s body language, eventually saying, “You may not believe me now.  Maybe you think I’m trying to get out of shit-central.  But once we land, I can promise you that Dean will be happy to lay into me about ditching him.  He probably won't shut up about it.”

Gabriel rubbed the back of Sam’s hand with his thumb.  “I wanted...us, to be just for us.  For better or for worse.  And you can’t tell me we’re not head over heels.  If you're able to look me in the eyes and honestly say you don’t believe a word out of my mouth, that you don’t think my love for you is real?  When we dock, that’s it.  You’ll never have to see me again.”

It was undeniable—Gabriel was as terrified as Sam was.

No one won this fight.

Both of them were overwrought by fear, in over their heads and fools to the Fates in a move that had changed their destinies drastically.  Their beginnings shouldn’t have mattered…but Sam _needed_ to talk to his brother.

He need to fucking kick the living hell out of Dean for setting him up so spectacularly, and shattering his heart with  _one_ admission over the airwaves.

“…Sam?”

Gabriel’s nerves had begun to leak into his tone, his scent never stopped sinking into the darkest of depths as they spoke.  The omega forgot he hadn’t answered.  He decided, all at once, that love was love—what they had was built stronger than most.

Sam reached out and tackled Gabriel down to the mattress.  He needed to make it clear, “I’m…not over this.  Not yet.  But no way I’ll _ever_ be over you.  I love you, fuck, more than I love myself.  It’d be stupid for my dumbass brother to get in the way.  I need you in my corner.  I…just _need you_.”

“You have me—” Gabriel rushed out the words like a prayer, clinging to Sam with the promise of, “You won’t regret it.  Jesus, kiddo, I love you so goddamn much.  Even the thought of—” he abruptly shook his head.  “Nope.  I won't, I _can't,_ go there.  We belong to each other through thick and thin.  There won't be anymore surprises.  I'm sorry that happened, I'll make it up to you.”

“I really, really hope so…” Sam’s words were muffled against Gabriel’s chest, and the alpha could still feel the tell-tale wetness of tears, now bleeding through his light shirt.  “I can’t do this.  It’s just…I think there’s a limit.  To what one human can handle in a lifetime.  And I’m _so close_ , too fucking close to hitting my limit.”

The alpha didn’t like those words at all.

He rearranged them until they were tucked in, and Gabriel cuffed Sam under the chin, capturing his focus.  “I will take care of you—like I said I would.  You’ll never carry another weight alone.  Let me do it.”  Gabriel winked and tried to ease in whatever lightness he could, adding, “Where do ya think I got these sweet biceps?”

“Naked swimming at sunrise,” Sam countered without reservation.

Which made Gabriel do a double-take.  “How did you know about…?”

The omega couldn’t help the grin worming its way onto his face.  “I got up early one morning when we were anchored.  That was when I got my first glimpse…I had to turn around and run."  Sam's mind wandered, he was so emotionally drained he didn't give a shit about his filter.  "Even when you were soft, the size of your cock got me wet.  Wondering what it’d be like.  How it'd feel.  That’s how I knew how many fingers to fuck myself on to take your dick.”

A low growl rumbled in Gabriel’s chest before he could stop it.  “Sammy, you were watching me?  And you didn’t join?”

“Would you have done anything?” he challenged, finally feeling like himself again, finally feeling their easy chemistry, returning with a vengeance.

“Touche,” Gabriel agreed, “Although, I find the idea of you spying for…reconnaissance, to be _ridiculously_ hot.  You’re fuckin’ flawless, you know that?”

It was a unique situation, because had this disastrous shit-show never happened, the pair would’ve already been moving together in sync, even knotted.  While the flirting continued, the barrier keeping them from touch had only cracked.  They kept their hands to themselves, and it was reminiscent of the early days.

Neither liked it, but neither knew what to do to break the spell.

Gabriel decided to give voice to the issue.  “There are so many things I wanna do to you right now, Sammy.  But first…would you let me kiss you?”

Sam shocked himself.  Because he _hesitated_.  He fucking hesitated to allow his true mate to kiss him—?    
  
Apparently, this wound, this betrayal stemming from his brother (he’d come to terms with the fact Gabriel had been a victim of circumstance) ran deeper than he thought.  It would take more to mend than he thought.  Still, he missed his mate’s lips, and while Gabriel's face lost more color, turning ghostly white as time stretched on, Sam was the one who pushed forward and made the move.

He also rolled them around so he was on top, thinking _just maybe_  he could take out some of this stress.  Work out some of these _feelings_  on Gabriel.  Sam knew his mate would let him, hell—he’d welcome it, if it helped.

Sam was hungry for the alpha, he always was, and when he kissed him, leaving the metallic taste of blood from biting his lip too hard, Gabriel snarled, “Don’t you dare hold back—”  
  
It sparked a fire.

Yes, Sam was aching to make things right again—the stirring between his legs was proof—and as Gabriel surged up into his rough touch…everything spiraled.

Sam acted—his mouth clamped back down over the healing mating bite, searing new life into it.  The alpha gasped and cursed, his arms darted to grab Sam’s back, fingers caressing his skin.  Yet Sam would rather they dig into his hips, into his rear.

His growl was half frustration, half arousal—he wanted his mate to be more aggressive, but Gabriel was...being a punching bag, accepting every blow without retaliation, only acting as _the thing_ Sam took his angry out on.  Yeah, it was nice that Gabriel allowed it, but Sam wanted his mate to spring into action, dammit!

When Sam ground their hips together, their erections both thick and wanting, Gabriel’s grip sunk in deeper.  His didn’t move, not yet, Sam would have to do a better job.  The omega ripped the shirt from Gabriel's body with a strength to tear it, boldness and disregard driving home Sam's intent.    
  
Oh—wow.  The barely-dawning sun illuminate a patchwork masterpiece of marks—all Sam's handiwork—spanning across Gabriel torso.  It made him itch to create more.

He wanted brighter reds, darker blues and purples, maybe that would goad his mate on and force him to fucking _move—_

Sam raked his nails down Gabriel’s flank, leaving pink trails in their wake and the alpha’s spine rolled off the bed in sync with the lines.  Grinning wildly, Sam shifted further down the bed, using his teeth to roll his mate’s nipples hard, making him groan out louder with each move.

“Fuck, _Sammy—_ ” Gabriel was breathless, desperate to restrain himself.

Sam would break him if it was the last thing he did—

After a vibrant bruise was sucked against his side, the omega hooked his thumbs into the waistband of Gabriel’s boxers and flicked his tongue against the alpha’s hip bones.  He tugged them down just enough to free the head of Gabriel’s cock, and only that.  Sam was baiting him, finding that line in the sand.

He wanted Gabriel to snap, ignoring his exposed dick—instead, he caressed the length of the alpha’s thighs, from his knees up and under his boxers.  All while he watched Gabriel thrash, wondering what was going on in his head.

“Holy shit, are you trying to kill me?   _Again_?”  It was pathetic, and even though he attempted to hide it, there were hints of bitter frustration—Sam knew Gabriel too well for him to cover that up.

Sam would have laughed if the entire situation wasn’t so fucked up.  Was he being a bad mate for doing this to Gabriel?  Was Gabriel doing the right thing by letting Sam control the situation, even though Sam _wanted him_ to lose it?  He knew his head was all over the place, he was acting out, and he was taking it out on Gabriel.  Both physically and, in a way, psychologically…which was the _last_ thing he should be doing to someone he loved.

Sam just hated being played!  And his fucking brother had played him like a fiddle!

He never had a choice in this, even though he had the concept and illusion of control, the idea he’d gained his independence for the first time since—

“Hey…”

Gabriel’s tone and demeanor completely flipped on him.

It transformed from needy frustration into worry, and Sam had no clue why.

He cautiously looked up from where he was hovering at Gabriel’s hips and realized he’d zoned out.  The alpha was sitting up.  Crap.

Slowly, Gabriel pulled Sam up with him.  He was pliable in his daze and let his mate work, until he was in the alpha’s lap, their foreheads pressed together.  

Just when Sam was about to mouth off about being handled with kid gloves, about how he didn’t need to be treated like this, his mate’s hands were underneath his shirt.  Skating across his skin, massaging his back, and soon—peeling it off.

That’s when Gabriel picked up where they left off and kissed Sam breathless.

And…this was good.

Sam wasn’t sure if they were on an even playing field or if his alpha had picked up the reins from Sam's impending meltdown, but, very quickly, they were both naked and rolling back and forth on the bed.  Maybe Sam was too caught up in his head, and Gabriel was able to lure him to a place where he could get lost in sensation.

God, Sam needed this.

He needed to _feel_ , not think about his actions, about drawing a response, and somehow his alpha saw it.  Felt his struggle.  Fixed what needed to happen, whether Gabriel was nervous to take action or not.  Sam had to remember, true mates were special for a reason, and Gabriel constantly proved that to him.  Sam was trying too hard when what came naturally was always...better.  The _best_.

When Gabriel brushed his nose against his claim, it wasn’t aggressive to demand a reaction, like Sam had.  It was a reminder of their bond.

Gabriel kissed the bite so tenderly and whisper, “I love you, kid,” right before he moved and sank into the omega.

An intoxicating pulse of pleasure shot through Sam’s system, and the rush of euphoria made him forget everything else.  Nothing existed outside the two of them.  
  
Nothing mattered, besides moving together.

The rest faded away and everything in Sam’s world was Gabriel.

His scent must have been telling, or maybe it was his urgent reach, because the alpha quickly hooked Sam’s knees over his shoulders.  Sam was so fucking thankful his mate could read his mind, they gained both carnal physicality _and_ intimate closeness with one, graceful move.  It was so obvious the omega wanted— _needed—_ the reassurance of his mate’s kiss.

Holy hell, they may have fumbled at the beginning, but now they'd veered onto the right path.

Being wrapped up inside a heady fog of unwavering love and devotion, it was proof this wasn’t a trick or a scam, no way this could be faked.  Gabriel’s scent gave clarity—despite Sam’s turmoil and his breakdown—the alpha wasn’t going anywhere.  He'd never run when things got tough, he was ready to defend their bond.

When Gabriel’s knot began swelling, friction triggered the omega.  Sam was enchanted by the scent of his mate, the way it filled his lungs, and from Gabriel tailoring this early morning to please him.  The moment his orgasm washed over him, when his mate was tied inside him, he felt the weight…release.

The familiar bliss mixed in with the smells of sea salt and happy mate while the boat swayed underneath them.  This _was_ paradise—Sam could let everything else...fall away.

He had his alpha pillowed against him, soft kisses shaking across his heated skin, and nothing else mattered.

Gabriel seemed to notice the change, too.

He cupped Sam’s cheek and pulled him into a lingering kiss.  When they parted, the lazy smile surprised him in the best way, and he asked, “Whatcha say to some breakfast after this?  Then maybe some naked sunbathing?”

When Sam began laughing freely, he realized—yeah, the weight was gone.  “Sounds awesome.”

“Perfect!”  He winced when he shifted around, into a better position, grousing, “Damn.  You were feeling spicy, weren’t ya?”

Already knowing that Gabriel was speaking about the more…assertive tactics Sam started with, he was afraid to look down.  “I’m sorry…I—”

“Shh.  Nothin’ to be sorry about,” the alpha interrupted.  “Let's say we _both_ punch your brother when we hit land?  It’ll be a—therapeutic bonding experience.”

Sam couldn't agree fast enough.  “I’m all for it,” he added, “I may knee Cas in the balls, if that’s all right with you.”

“Have at him.  He’s not innocent.”  Gabriel scoffed and clucked his tongue.  “I’m still gonna send flowers to their hospital room.  Even though they deserve a beat-down, there is a bright side.  There's no way I would’ve ever met you, without those mutton-heads.”

“Yeah,” Sam sighed out in agreement.  “I’ll take a little longer to forgive and forget.  Even if that’s true, I’m still pissed.  I just…can’t _not_ be.”

“I completely understand.  You have the right to be—I want you to be.  Be as angry and resentful as you want, I’ll support it.  I’ll always support you.”  Even though his voice was quiet, there was a underlying passion that built Sam up.

No matter how petty or spiteful he was, Sam had support.  Others would tell him to let it go, to turn the other cheek, but Gabriel...he understood.  That feeling was kind of incredible.

\--------------------------

Sam was still adjusting to the realization.

Two days and a night had passed and when he was by himself, Gabriel off steering, cooking or cleaning, he felt sick.  All they had left was tonight.  Tomorrow; they’d be docking at the marina.  
  
While he wouldn't have flashbacks of the specific marina—landing along the west coast instead of Galveston—hitting US soil held more meaning now than ever.  Sam couldn’t get that first day in Texas out of his head.  How Dean knew Sam's plans: where he was headed from Kansas, precisely when he left, and how he planted Gabriel right in his path.  Were his choices even his own?

There was a tug-of-war in his mind because…Sam _had_ been the one to chose Gabriel, right?  He could have approached other captains, opted for other ships, offered them the same deal—but something felt right with his alpha.  Turned out, yeah, there was an unexpected reason.  One that had nothing to do with Dean.

The air outside was chilled while Sam was on the deck, huddled up and nursing a cup of hot tea.  His thoughts were racing, and he kept coming back to the same concept: wondering if he should say fuck it.  Was going home even worth it anymore?  When all he felt was bitterness and pain every time he imagined being back?  
  
They could change the course.  Tell Gabriel travel south, to Mexico, perhaps South America.  Sam wasn’t getting cold feet, he genuinely didn’t know what to do when he saw his brother.

And Gabriel…was giving him space.

Space to breathe, space to collect himself, hell, maybe he thought he was giving Sam that sought-after independence.  It was too late.  Now, Sam didn’t want to be alone.

The longer he was alone, the more the past came back to haunt him.

He always believed Dean (and in turn, Castiel) viewed him with respect and strength.  Sam had stayed with them during the entire trial—they’d watched him heal.  Does that mean that Dean didn’t think he was strong enough to handle the journey when he left?  That Sam was _still_ a broken omega who needed an alpha protector because he couldn’t handle himself?

Did Dean think that Sam would be insane enough, fucking _stupid_ enough, to fall into the same trap again?

It was a joke!  He’d fought for his life, both in those cells and on the witness stand, and still—after all that—his brother didn’t trust him.  Sam felt like he was going to throw up.

Maybe…he really shouldn’t see Dean when they docked.

At the same time, he knew his brother would be first in line and there was no deterring him.

Sam scented Gabriel before he saw him while he was staring out into the dark night’s water.  It was uncanny, how it resembled an abyss. Like the darkness of— _no—_     
  
He had to stop.  He couldn’t relapse!  Not _now_ , of all times!  Jesus—what the fuck was happening?!

“Hey,” Gabriel greeted and sat on the edge of the deck chair.  “Whatcha thinking about?”

Ruefully, Sam said, “You don’t want to know.”

He knew he was being cold, it may even sound like he was shutting Gabriel out, but this was how he dealt with shit.  Sam compartmentalized: he shoved things in boxes, making his natural state detached before he got better.  He could already tell the alpha didn’t like it.

“If I don’t wanna know, what can I do to help?”

Sam appreciated that Gabriel didn’t offer to ‘fix-it,’ as others would.  Help…that seemed more logical, a more attainable goal, since nothing could be fixed at this point.

While he welcomed Gabriel’s warmth pressed against his side, the sweet smell of mate in his nostrils, it seemed far away.  Like seeing blurred shapes and cloudy faces in a dream.  Or just passing through, his feet not quite touching down on Earth and…hovering above.  
   
—Sam remembered this place.

It was a place he would go to escape the nightmares.  To get away from the darkness inside the coffin.  To forget about what happened underground when the media and press continually asked questions.  When they tactlessly brought the memories back up to the surface.  All for Sam to relive...over and over again.  
  
That's why he retreated back into himself.  Sam worked hard to create a working distance between not only his heart, but a vast buffer that locked out reality.  For the first time, he'd gone there as a defense mechanism, without actively choosing to flip that switch—

“Sammy—”  His name was sharp, demanding attention.  When Sam didn’t give it, Gabriel tried to maintain an even tone, stating, “It’s better to get this over with, you know?  The thing with Dean, it’s really getting to you.  I can see that.  And I’m sorry, _fuck_ , am I sorry.  But the best thing you can do is talk to him.”  After an elongated pause, Gabriel asked, “Sam?  Are you even listening?”

“Yes.”  The word was curt, and he took a deep breath.  “I’m gonna take that to mean he knows when we’re arriving.  Did you reach out to him?”  Sam finally turned and stared at his mate, but he was also throwing a passive-aggressive gauntlet.

Gabriel…he looked helpless.

“Are you pissed at me?” the alpha asked hesitantly.  “I called him up and gave him an earful.  I told him about us, and if he gave you shit—”

“I don’t need you defending me!” Sam snapped, “I don’t need _anyone_ defending me, I can do it myself!  That’s what started this, everyone thinking I’m a broken, helpless and powerless target!  Fucking Christ!  No one in my life has treated me like an omega until _that_ happened!  And now I’m incapable of being seen as anything but—it's like I don't have an identity anymore—I'm just _that_ omega.  To everyone, even my own _family_ , I am so fucking sick of this!”

Gabriel’s silence was weighted, he was choosing his words and Sam almost felt guilty.  If he didn’t feel himself spiraling, he would have chastised himself for being a dick.  But…he couldn’t bring himself to care about unloading on his mate.  About anything, really.

Relaxing his pursed lips, Gabriel finally decided on, “I think you need to talk to him.  He owes you an apology.  All those things?  You know they aren’t true.  You know it’s bullshit, that's why you're furious instead of inconsolable.  I wanna give you what you need, what‘s gonna help you relax, feel better.  Anything I can do, I wanna do it.  But you’re not giving me much to work with and—”

“You weren’t there!” Sam staggered to get to his feet, the empty cup hanging limply at his side.  “I can’t give you anything to work with, because you weren’t around, okay?!  I can’t do this—” he hissed the second half under his breath as he darted below deck, throwing his cup in the kitchen sink and turned to the fridge.

Sam glanced back and forth, listened for the shifting of boards overhead and sniffed the air.  Luckily, Gabriel wasn’t hot on his heels when he grabbed the water bottle and swung through the halls towards his room.

He knew the alpha would undeniably keep him wide awake, to talk things out, to 'work through the bad times'—because that’s what couples were _supposed_ to do.  That was the healthy thing, and in their short time together, he knew damn well that Gabriel was proactive about smoothing over every blemish.  Ironing out details, solving life's little puzzles, and especially: making damn sure Sam never regretted his choice.  
  
Gabriel was driven to maintaining and grow every aspect of their relationship—specifically the happy and healthy parts.  

Except...Sam was so _tired_.  This bone-deep fatigue from life was setting; tonight, it was too much to handle.  When he reached into his drawer to take his meds, he eyed some labels and deliberated.

Setting a few extra, specific pills into his palm, Sam decided this was best.  He took solace in the isolation, the silence, and Sam needed just a little more of it—so he decided to cheat.  They couldn’t have an adult discussion that revolved around topics that hurt him if the omega were unconscious.

After he swallowed them down, he stripped away the clothes he’d been sweating in all day.  A combination brought on from nerves, ugly flashbacks and the summer heat clung to the fabric, Sam was a mess.  Fuck it, even though it was a huge 'no' in Gabriel’s rule book, he tossed them outside his door to get the stench of failure out of his room.

While Sam may have wanted a shower, he knew he wouldn’t be awake long enough.

Honestly, he’d probably pass out under the spray if he even attempted, and with Sam's luck—he'd drown.  He was trying to escape the evening, not kill himself.

It wasn’t until he crawled under the covers that Gabriel appeared—game face intact, ready to fucking play.  Heh, but the joke was on him.  The sedatives and anti-anxiety meds were starting to kick in.

When Gabriel sniffed the air (with no shame, whatsoever) and realized Sam was ready to clock out for the night, he rushed forward—stripping as he went—and growled out, “Dammit, Sam!  We literally have _one night_ to get you ready!  For me to tell you you’re not alone!  How I’ll be there for you, no matter the circumstances!  And you come up with—what?  Giving me the middle finger?  Nice decision.”

Sam saw two figures of Gabriel yelling at him, and the intensity, the echos of the shouting, made him cover his ears and duck his head.  It was too familiar, he couldn’t deal with it.  He had half a mind to reach into his drawer for another fucking dose—

“Shit, _shit_ , dammit,” Gabriel chanted.  Sam found himself on the alpha’s lap, and realized he was shaking hard enough to rock both of them with his tremors.  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to yell, I-I keep fucking up.  I love you, I hate seeing you hurtin' when all I want is for this to be what you’d hoped for.  A homecoming.  A new beginning and—”

From where he was doubled over on himself, even Gabriel’s touch made him flinch.  It was nerve-wracking, wondering where the next point of contact would land, and Sam kept jumping, jerking at what felt like blows of impact.  The alpha noticed a pattern almost instantly, and changed tactics.

He kept the lights on and hauled Sam’s larger frame onto his chest, all while taking calm, centering breaths.  Gabriel slowly and specifically placed Sam’s head in the crook of his neck, and the scent of mate calmed him just enough to change the full-body shudders into shivers.  The warmth surrounding Sam was good—that and Gabriel’s scent were new normal’s that existed outside the omega's old life—it could carry him back, anchor him down to the present, the 'now.’

Until then, Sam felt like he was floating, untethered, hearing Gabriel’s voice shouting from below to get down here.  And when someone yells, you don’t wanna go…or so his fuzzy mind told him.

“Here,” Gabriel whispered sweetly, realizing Sam’s mental state and acting accordingly.  His thumb brushed against Sam’s neck, the mark tender, and he grabbed Sam’s wrist to have him repeat the same motion with the claim on Gabriel’s own neck.  “We’ll always be together, okay?  I’ve got your back.  I don’t know what you’re doing, or where your head is but we’ll work it out.  I love you, Sammy.”

Everything was fuzzy.  His words, his touch, but the sincerity of his scent, and the unconditional love resonated with Sam when he nodded.

“Love you, Gabe,” he returned, and clung close.  “Sorry, I didn’t wanna deal.  With this.  Or anything.  Maybe tomorrow.  Maybe never.  Just don’t leave, _please_ , don’t leave, I—”

“Shh, I get it.  I’ll never leave,” he promised, close to Sam’s ear.

He couldn’t help it, it was a horrible turn of events when the omega groaned, “I tricked you.”

“Tricked me?” Gabriel echoed in amusement.  “How, precisely, did you manage to trick me, kiddo?”

“M-made you think I wasn’t fifty-shades of fucked up and personal baggage.  I thought I wasn’t either.  Guess things can change pretty quick,” Sam said mournfully, afraid he may lose the _one good thing_ (even if the jump-start of his decline had been the realization this 'good thing' had been a set-up) that ever happened to him—

“The only thing that’s fucked up is you dipping out on me.”  Despite the harsh words, they were spoken with sympathy and forehead kisses.  “Before we dock?  Or while we’re docked?  We _are_ gonna figure this out.  No way around it, Winchester.  I’m not letting you out while there’s any tension between us.  I’m gonna be your rock, you little fucker.  Whether you want it or not.”

After a rougher squeeze, but one Sam happily responded to, he asked with a hint of fear, “Can you leave the lights on…?  You don’t have to stay, just...”

A weighted sigh left Gabriel’s chest, but he responded with affection.  “Damn right, I’m gonna stay.  And damn right, those lights’ll stay on.  Close your eyes, baby.  Get your sleep, you deserve it.  I’ll be here to chase the nightmares away.”

“Thank you.  For everything.  You’re too good for me—”

There may have been some banal protest, but it didn’t matter—Sam’s medication and mental exhaustion had hit the wall and he’d crashed.  He was asleep, but maybe...it was for the best.  The way things were going, they were nowhere near decisive conclusions, Sam was in no mindset to solve problems either.  
  
Gabriel had to rethink his game plan, this time it had to be completely different—he was playing ball with a new side of Sam.  One who was afraid, subdued, living within a nightmare.  He had an idea...hopefully, it would work, and then it would be appreciated, if not now—eventually.  If not eventually?  Gabriel wouldn’t hold anything against Sam.  
  
He wished things were better, dammit.  This was difficult on both of them, but Gabriel’s heart ached for his mate.  He had an idea or two to try, and he _had_ to remain optimistic.


	9. Chapter Eight

Gabriel only left Sam’s side once, and it was because he knew his omega had self-medicated to the point he'd be KO’d the entire night.  He had no idea things with Sam were so fucked and he was bound and determined to fix them  _before_ they made landfall.    
  
Or rather, before they were ‘supposed to’ make landfall.

All of this, this episode, this breakdown, it stemmed from Dean.

Sam’s loss of control.  His self-proclaimed ‘false sense of independence.’  Hell, Sam even thinking Gabriel wasn’t the real deal had scared the living fuck out of the alpha.

More than anything, it made Sam feel vulnerable.  When he’d made all this progress, Gabriel actually watched Sam backpedaled before his eyes.

Fuck, Gabriel watched him take so many steps back, he'd tumbled into that dark place Sam was at when he escaped the trafficking ring.  All Gabriel wanted to do was tell the omega he was here, everything was okay, that he’d take care of him—but Sam had the rug ripped out from under Gabriel with how wildly distressed he was.  With the flying accusations—

Sam questioned _everything_.

The omega didn’t know if he had a voice, if he had any say in his life in the first place.  The alpha couldn’t begin to imagine how terrifying the concept was.  Let alone Sam being trapped in that idea.

That’s why Gabriel decided to ring up Dean, tell him they hit rough water and it would be longer before they docked.

Obviously, it was a lie: but he refused to let Sam go to shore like this.

When he crawled back into bed with his mate, the lingering scents unnerved him.  Sam’s sorrow, his aching pain hit Gabriel hard because, dammit, he was Sam’s alpha!  He was supposed to make this go away!  To protect him!  Gabriel couldn’t get the _one thing_ right he’d promised to!

All through the night, Sam’s scent fluctuated.

Gabriel honed into it—ready to wake him if he scented anything in the vicinity of ‘nightmare.’

Mostly?  It was…sedation.  It was clinical medication, along with passing dreams, REM sleep, and then fumes of that raw, exhaustion—Sam had nothing left to give.  He prayed that this dead-to-the-world kind of shut eye would help.  Since Gabriel sure as hell hadn’t; he’d caused it, and while he watched over him he was paying the price.

That was okay though.

He’d gladly spend the night watching over his mate.  Holding him, kissing his forehead and smiling when Sam leaned into his ministrations.  Their bodies pressed together felt like two pieces of a whole, now _if only_ Sam’s brain would get on board.  …Gabriel couldn’t blame him for any of this.

At all.  But, dammit, was he gonna have words with his own brother about that mate of his!  Dean was gonna get his ass kicked by Gabriel.  Sam would probably do the same, too.  He’d get what was coming to him.

\--------------------------

When the dawn broke, Gabriel turned the lights off.  The sun was blinding, filling the room and he didn’t have to worry about Sam’s fear of the dark anymore.  He was concerned, however, by how long and hard Sam slept in.

Yeah, they _should have_ been docking soon, but Gabriel dialed down the speed, to the point of idling, buying them more time at sea.  They could stay out as long as they wanted, until this was fixed, but the alpha couldn’t read his mate.    
  
He wasn’t sure if Sam had awoken yet or not.  If the omega was actively opting to snooze as long as he could, instead of spending time together.  Or maybe the drugs really did a number on him.

Eventually, when Sam stirred, he peered around like he was in a fog.

He commented languidly, “You’re still here…”

“Heh,” a short puff of laughter burst from Gabriel’s chest, Sam looked so damn confused it was adorable.  “Nowhere else I’d rather be.”

Sam held him closer, even though he grumbled, “Steering.  Cooking.  Cleaning.  Ready to dock.  Don’t have’ta—”

“You’re right.  I don’t ‘have’ta’ _anything_.  I _wanna_ , you little shit, there’s a difference.  Now, c’mon,” he kept his voice light and kissed Sam’s forehead as the omega glanced up at him, and he looked…scared?  “We’re not rolling up and making your debut back into the good ol’ US of A while we’re in this shape.”  
  
Gabriel made sure to use the word ‘we’ because they were in this together.  He had to stress there was nothing wrong with Sam, they were a team, no matter what came at them.

The alpha continued playfully, “You got no idea how goddamn excited I’ve been.  Sure, we wanna stay out of the public eye, but it’s gonna leak eventually.  And when everyone sees that you, my gorgeous hero omega, chose little me as a mate?”  Gabriel whistled and shook his head.  “I plan on playing _that_ card as many times as I can.  I ain’t mad from now on, I’m gonna be known as Sam Winchester’s Alpha.  I plan to flaunt it, you know that, right?”

After a slight pause and a flash of bafflement, (maybe the drugs made him loose-lipped) Sam word-vomited, “You’re telling me that you’re totally fine losing your identity and being lumped in with me?  Gabriel, that’s—”

“A romantic gesture?”  He winked, at least he was thoroughly distracting Sam from their previous…issues.  “Told you before.  I want the world to know.  And I know that you do, too, but I need to make sure we’re okay—first and foremost, ya know?”

Sam studied him with pursed lips, and Gabriel didn’t mind doing the talking.  He wasn’t getting shut down, which was a positive response so far.  Although, he knew he had to get creative to garner more of a reaction.  Gabriel went ahead and dropped his arms to grasp Sam’s hips, knowing he had his full attention, and pulled them flush.  The omega jolted with a sharp intake of breath, and _this_ was what Gabriel needed: the aide of morning wood to inspire them both.

“Sammy, Sammy, Sammy,” Gabriel crooned out, rocking so-very-gently, “When we hit land, the first camera that catches our marks is gonna see how fresh they are.  We’re in our honeymoon period.  And I’ve been loving every goddamn second.  Someone, who shall not be named, threw a wrench in my many recent seductions.  I know things aren’t the best, but you and me?  We can be _our_ best.  I’d fuckin’ hate random paparazzi speculating about an accidental or remorseful mating.”

The alpha leaned forward and traced Sam’s tender mark with his tongue.  “Because the only thing I regret is not making love to you the past three days, straight.”

Oh—Sam’s trembling form?  That was a good sign.  Except, Gabriel wanted a little bit more: something verbal, something concrete to make sure when they did leave the Amphitrite behind at the marina, this had all settled in his brain.

“I-I regret it, too,” Sam admitted, his hand rising to cup Gabriel’s cheek and— _thank God—_ this looked like an actual conversation!  

…While their hips were lazily rocking together, both now fully hard and insanely turned on but—priorities!

“You’re right, Gabe.  You’re always right.”  The omega laughed before kissing his mate soundly.  “I was scared.  I still am.  The flashbacks…just...everything that happened.  I think when I found out Dean didn’t think I could handle myself, I started to think _I_ couldn’t handle myself either.  But you’re here.  And we _can_ be our best, right?”

“Shit,” Gabriel cursed, because he _should_ continue on in this perfectly-laid-planned-direction.  Everything was funneling towards it, there was no need to abort, except he felt so much passion about—!  “Fuck Dean.  I’ll tell you a million times how strong, how amazing, how goddamn brave you are, and maybe one of these day it’ll sink in.  We all have our moments, our doubts, but let me be that—I don’t know—angel on your shoulder?  The voice of reason?”  He was grasping at straws, and Sam was torn, it was written all over his face even though his scent was smooth lust and slick Gabriel needed to taste—

Quickly, Gabriel realized something Sam would very much enjoy.

As his hand slowly slid down the back of Sam’s boxers and cupped the round of his omega’s ass, Gabriel suggestively pronounced, “I’ve got a confession.”  His fingers swiping through a mouth-watering mess of slick _before_ the alpha even spread Sam’s cheeks, was encouragement enough for him to continue.  “I left you for a few minutes last night…to correct a mistake I made.”

Sam moaned in anticipation and frustration, rolling his hips forward to grind against Gabriel’s cock, and arching backwards to try and fuck against his mate’s fingers.  “Wh-what mistake?  Stop teasing, dammit!”

“But you’re so stunning like this.”  Gabriel chuckled and kissed Sam hard, with a passion that left their lips swollen and their hands no longer wandering, but getting down to business.  “ _Fuck_ , and you’re a distraction,” he cursed and shook his head aggressively.  “I hollered at Dean.  Told him we got caught in some bad weather.  Won’t be docking when we said we were.”

“W-what does that mean?”

It should have been counterproductive.  Stripping each other naked, Gabriel pulling Sam with him as he leaned against the headboard, positioning the omega over his cock—talking about _brothers…_

As Gabriel used his alpha strength to control exactly how slowly Sam was filled with his dick—leaving his omega reeling and gasping—he couldn’t find it in him to give a shit.   
  
The head of his cock was swallowed up, then the rest of his shaft was leisurely engulfed inside Sam’s hole, it felt so damn amazing.  The omega, now one with him, ground and rolled his hips, clenching at the heavy dick inside him—making sure Gabriel watched every second of him shamelessly and deliberately moving.    
  
When Sam was on top, he either played rough or played _dirty_ —addicted to performing for his alpha.

“Fuck, Sammy, it’s like you were built to take my cock into that greedy, tight body,” he praised, voice husky from (unfortunately) how close he was _already—_  

Gabriel had to remember—he had a point to this story!  Even though Sam was distracting (on a whole new level), eagerly riding his alpha.

“U-us not docking on time means...”  Gabriel fingers bit into the crease of Sam’s thighs, an attempt to steal back control, manipulate Sam’s body into doing what he wanted and making his omega come undone.  “No one will be waiting at the marina.  No one will know that we got there early.  You d-don’t have to see him.  Not until it’s on _your_ terms.  He can’t corner you, you’ve got the upper hand, you— _Jesusfuck—_ are you gonna let me knot you, babe?”

The wicked grin on Sam’s face brought out a whimper from Gabriel, and he picked up the pace.  Sam’s unabashed moaning and shouting cries of pleasure grew louder as his ass clamped down and squeezed around Gabriel’s cock.

“Fuck yeah, give me your knot, alpha.  So long as we don’t crash into the port while you’re tied inside me,” he challenged and relentlessly continued to ride Gabriel.  “Want your cum.  Make it count—”

Sam was choking on his moans as he felt Gabriel’s knot swell, his own promise of, “You know, this’ll be the last time we fuck inside the Amphitrite for a long t-time.  Very, very soon my brother will be reading gossip.  Bout us on the cover of a magazine, wondering when the hell I arrived.  While I-I enjoy happily mated bliss— _fuck—_!”

The omega doubled over and Gabriel caught him, shocked he’d lasted that long.  All those words, the ideas—plus Sam’s scent of longing and love—the alpha hadn’t been able to hold back.  

This final rush of Sam clenching around him, his beautiful voice begging for his alpha and wildly bucking body sent Gabriel over the edge _again_ , filling his mate with a third load of cum.  Gabriel hoped it was the final rush—only because he didn’t want to push Sam too far, if there was, indeed, some fun to be had on land…

Gabriel wrapped his arms around Sam to keep where they were tied together stable, and he proceeded to rotate them until they were lying comfortably in bed.  For the first time in too fucking long…Sam was smiling.

Hell, the omega was beaming, looking at Gabriel like he’d hung the moon, or something.  The only thing he did was love his mate, and try to help him when and where he could…but it was nothing special.  That’s what you did when you were in love.

“Thank you,” Sam whispered, his glow was so damn brilliant.  “I appreciate that you did that…”

“Which part?” Gabriel inquired suggestively, rolling his hips—making both he and Sam gasp.  “Okay, bad idea!”

It was obvious that Sam’s attitude had turned around.  While it was a thing of beauty, Gabriel was now his mate’s target.  “You _really_ like doing this, don’t you?”  Sam grabbed Gabriel’s wrist and tugged it down to his middle, even though the angle was awkward from the way they were joined.

And, _shit_ , feeling that swell…knowing that Sam was carrying so much of his cum it had smoothed and curved those chiseled abs, it made him grin widely.  “Yeah.  Maybe I do like to.  Got a problem?”

Sam appeared taken off guard.  As though Gabriel wouldn’t admit it.  That, by itself, was surprising…because the alpha was always forthcoming.  Well, up until this ‘brother debacle,’ but that was in the past.  At least, he prayed it was in the past.

The omega released the lip he’d been worrying between his teeth and his scent was electric in a way Gabriel couldn’t even explain.  “Wow.  I just thought…with all the traveling, and all the sacrifices you’ve made for me already, this one would be _too_ friggin _huge_.  I know we mentioned it during my heat and kinda blew it off.  But...it keeps happening.  I figured I’d at least talk with you about it, sober, in our right heads…”

Oh…oh!   _Shit_ , Sam was talking about a pup!  Not the whole, ‘hell yeah, let me see how many loads of cum you can take,’ kind of thing Gabriel had assumed and foolishly responded to.  

The two topics could not be more different and Gabriel (like a fucking moron) had gotten his wires crossed when asked—  

Except, Sam bringing this up?  After the problems they’d been having and Sam’s own internal battle—maybe this was a good thing?

In the end, Gabriel decided to go along with it: no regrets.  “Can’t lie, Sammy.  You look absolutely amazing filled up with me.”  He tilted his head in thought and wondered aloud, “What flipped the switch, though?  What made it… _real_ on your biological clock?” because he had to know.  

They’d steered clear of any negativity, he was holding up well, shit—Sam’s scent was tickling him, both the excitement and a softer side to the afterglow.  The omega leaned in, keeping Gabriel’s hand right the hell were it was and kissed him with intent, something perhaps the alpha should know but…he didn’t.  Not right away, at least.

“Maybe—” Sam glanced down at their joined hands, “Maybe that’s just it.  My ‘biological clock’ is counting down, or…running out, and I really want a family.  With you.  More than I ever thought I would.  And I…” he sighed and shrugged, “thought we’d tested the waters during my heat?  Since there were good results or no freaking out over the topic, I was more confident.  That’s…another reason I want to get off my medications, just in case.”

Suddenly, it became that much clearer.  Of course!  Sam couldn’t have a healthy pup while he was on such an intense and regimented slew of meds…

“How long have you been planning this, kiddo?”  Gabriel really wondered if it was because of the heat.  Now, he _also_ had to ask, “Have you always wanted a pup?” once more—keeping everything light and easy, thumb now rubbing circles on the back of Sam’s hand.

There was the barest hint of a blush on his cheeks when Sam asked, “Promise you won’t make fun of me?”

“Well,” he shrugged his shoulders dramatically, “can’t promise it!  But I can try.”

Sam rolled his eyes and chuckled, slow to meet Gabriel’s gaze when he admitted, “I wasn’t really thinking about it—or us—back then, but the way you helped me get through my nightmares?  I had night terrors as a kid, and Dean was good at helping me, but you were great.  I was thinking that wherever your mate was, and whenever you had a pup; they’d be lucky to have you…”

With a noncommittal head shake Sam continued, “When I was in heat, was when _I_ _felt it_.  The need.  Before, it was just a ‘what if,’ I’d be happy either way.  Except, something inside my head told me we _were_ meant to be, and it made me want everything with you.”  Finally, the omega asked the question Gabriel was stone-cold terrified of: “What about you?  When did you know?  And…if we’re serious about this, do we wanna jump in headfirst once I’ve sorted out my meds?”

Luckily, (Gabriel had been so preoccupied he hadn’t even realized) his knot was now easily able to slip out of Sam—while the wet, hot, filthy mess always got him going again, _this_ was a serious conversation—and he needed to face Sam with the with same severity.

To be honest?  The answer wasn’t as difficult as he thought it would be: it wasn’t even a lie.

“I want whatever makes you happy.  And, yeah, having everything with you sounds pretty damn awesome,” he proudly announced with a wide smile.  “Really?  Truly?  I hadn’t made up my mind until just now.  But you’ve got me wrapped around your pinkie, and you’re right about one thing—I love taking care of you.  I wanna spoil the fuck out of you, and I’d happily do the same with you _and_ our pup.”

This revelation, in real-time, was alarming but thrilling because…a family?  Gabriel never anticipated he’d get a shot at that, no way, no how.

Sam engulfed Gabriel in his arms and his voice wavered with emotion, “Fuck.  I just…I love you so much—”

“Hey, hey, you’re alright.  I love you.  This is good.”  He tried to match Sam’s death-grip, except he was worried if he did, he may end up strangling the kid.  “We got a helluva future, Sammy.  Everything is ahead of us, and it’s whatever we want it to be.  So whattya say we give our Amphitrite a break, you can show me around home, we duck and dodge our douchebag fam, and you meet with your doctor?”

“Yes, yes,” the word tumbled out like a prayer.  “Thank you, God—I—”

“Shh, let’s just stay here for a while, okay?  I’ll start the engine again in a bit and we’ll ride the waves home.  Then,” Gabriel laughed at the thought, “I’m gonna have to work on getting my land-legs back.”

\-------------------------

Sam realized in the morning they weren’t moving anymore.  Sure, there was the barest hint of salt in the air, but more than anything—the scents of the city hit his nose and the water was no longer swaying below them.  They were docked.  Gabriel must have pulled up at the marina when Sam had found himself in a deep ( _damn_ deep) sleep.  After all, the omega was still fighting to crawl out of the exhaustion he'd brought upon himself.

The fact remained: Gabriel pulled strings and Dean had no idea they were here.

They could still evade him, which was perfect.  Sam didn’t plan on seeing his brother quite yet, and—

“You’re up,” Gabriel noted, the omega startled that his mate was in bed with him.

Wow.  He must _really_ be out of it—

Sam rolled over and draped his body over Gabriel, who was laying on his stomach.  “What’s the opposite of being a stowaway?  Like, for land?”

“Mm, is this a riddle?” Gabriel wondered and hummed happily as Sam began kissing along the ridge of his spine.  “ _Run_ away?  Jog-away?  Hop-skip-and-a’jump away?  Ah, don’t stop…” he rolled his shoulders while Sam’s hands began to massage away the tension from his solo-docking adventure, mouth now sucking the side of Gabriel’s neck.

The scents from his mate in the morning were better than coffee and breakfast, and it did wonders to override the smog pouring in from the city.  Yes, Sam would much, much rather get lost in Gabriel than the fumes of home.  Even though there were parts he missed and he wanted to return—he knew once he set foot on American soil, he’d awaken from this dreamlike journey.

Except, it wasn’t really a dream, was it?

Sam reminded himself: he had an alpha now.  He couldn’t haul a mate out of thin air from his imagination.  Gabriel was a nice souvenir—

“You’re killin’ me, Sammy!  Remember, we don’t have a huge time window, we’ve gotta hustle to avoid our asshole brothers.”

—who _totally_ just killed the moment.

Sam tumbled backwards onto the bed and huffed, “You've officially destroyed morning sex.”

Chasing after him and stealing a kiss, Gabriel stuck his lip out in a pout.  “Hey, once we hit the road?   _First_ mattress we find?  Our honeymoon continues!  But we gotta head out!”  He jumped to his feet and snapped his fingers, “While you were catching some Z's, I packed all our stuff.  Well, you travel light, and I packed a bag from what I don’t lock up on my girl, here.  Question I gotta ask—”

“Thank you,” Sam blurted quickly, since he didn’t know when he’d get the chance: once Gabriel launched into a monologue, there was no telling when he’d get in another word.  “You didn’t have to, but thank you.  Sorry, what was the question?”

A brief adoring smile flashed on the alphas face before he laughed and said, “Our destination.  It’s been vague.  Where the hell are we going?  How are we getting there?”

“Leave that part up to me,” Sam said with poise, and realized they really did have to move.

He couldn’t stay in bed and keep his mate with him any longer.  If he acted on impulse, Gabriel’s quick-thinking would be in vain.  Sam needed to get his belongings, which he discovered after a quick shower, were already on deck.  Holy shit, Gabriel had it set up like a damn concierge service, and all Sam had to do was don his disguise!

A quick visit to a car rental and a set of alpha-puppy-eyes later, they were cruising on the California highway in a cherry-red convertible, headed north.  Gabriel was in the driver’s seat, while Sam gave directions.   _And_ critiqued his driving.

In the alpha’s defense, it had been a hot second since he’d been behind the wheel of a car, and he should’ve picked out something a little less conspicuous, but Sam couldn’t say no to him.

Yeah, Gabriel's need for 'shiny things' wasn’t important—what mattered was that they’d beaten Castiel and Dean.  

There were no sightings as they tried to disappear into the City of Angels (maybe the alpha's outlandish taste had been a good idea after all, it was something they’d never imagine Sam riding in) and now the pair was in the clear.  They were still headed to some mysterious location Sam hadn’t told Gabriel of.  
  
Not that it mattered.  The alpha trusted him and tried to keep his harassment to a minimum.

All Gabriel knew was that he had a friend to meet.  And Sam had a sought-after life to set up.

“They’d be there before sunset.”

\------------------------

To say Dean was over-prepared was sugarcoating it.  He was armed with his mate, and all the tidings to call a cease-fire.

He’d booked a reservation at Sam’s favorite restaurant, he’d learned an Encyclopedia’s worth of knowledge about Cas’ brother (who was now Sam’s fucking mate?!) and he was ready to _welcome_ him to the family—instead of his initial plan.

When Dean had found out about their relationship, via Sam requesting birth control, for fuck’s sake, he’d been _livid_.  ...But he _had_ to play dumb.  He knew damn well his brother wasn’t sleeping around at the ports, and the steady stream Sam had asked for (yeah, _medication_ , he could’ve gotten condoms anywhere!) was the ‘relationship’ giveaway!

Knowing what Gabriel was…well.  Dean knew he only had himself to blame.

After all, _he’d_ fallen hard for Cas—there must be something in their friggin genetics that made Winchester’s swoon and stop using their upstairs brain when it came to these fools!

Except if there was one thing Sam was that Dean usually wasn’t, it was insanely, overly unruffled and logical.  If he’d not only fallen for Gabriel, but they’d decided to _mate_?  It was a well-thought out decision.  One that Dean prayed he hadn’t fucked up with his SOS transmission.

That was why he was headed to the marina early with Cas, so he could grovel and beg forgiveness the _second_ they docked.  Dean knew he had a long path to earn that redemption and he was willing to walk it on his knees, if he had to.

“You’re nervous,” Cas stated instead of questioned.  He knew.  Of course he fucking knew.  “It’ll be fine.  If I know my brother, he’s already explained, and they’re—”

Dean groaned loudly as they exited the Impala.  “I dunno, Cas.  I threw in a helluva wrench.  I never, _ever_ thought that Sam was going to trust anyone again.  Didn't think he'd even be _friends_ with an alpha, let alone _mate one_.  Shit, even before…he’s only shown interest in betas.  This is huge and you know it!  And if I fucked everything up—”

“You didn’t.”  His voice was firm and he seized Dean’s hand.  “Now, while you have an apology to give, Sam and Gabriel are adults.  Who, by some twist of fate, ended up finding each other in a remarkable way.  Let’s be thankful that Sam was able to overcome such a giant hurdle and find love again.”

As they made their way down, Dean clucked his tongue and flashed his mate a smile.  “How do you know, huh?  You always know _exactly_ what to say to calm me down.  To use my head.  What would I do without you?”

“Crash and burn,” Cas answered easily, but he very suddenly sped up.  He began tugging on Dean’s hand once they were close to the entrance.  Under his breath, he muttered, “That _can’t_ be right…”

“What?  Woah— _Cas_!”  He didn’t like the pace, he didn’t like his mate’s scent, and he didn’t like the way Cas straight-up broke away from him and began to sprint.

“You said they were still hours out, didn’t you?” Cas called out, over his shoulder when he hit the wooden planks.

“Yeah.  Why?  What’s going on!”  Dean had to run to catch up as Cas cut a sharp left along the maze of docks.

Abruptly, Cas stopped in front of a yacht and studied it closely.  He shook his head and turned back to face Dean, a frown etched into his features.  Seriously, Dean was beginning to freak out!  Still...he would wait for his mate to spit out the words, Dean needed to catch his damn breath, whew!

“This is Gabriel’s vessel.”  Castiel’s tone meant nothing good, and as he gestured, he explained, “She’s locked up tight, been her for a while if he’s had time to make all the proper storage preparations.  Dean…” he paused before walking over, the news they’d already made landfall…?  “They’re gone.”

“What?” Dean was stunned, unable to fully comprehending what was happening.  “Gabriel said they wouldn’t be getting in until—”

“Gabriel lied.”  His words were soft, knowing Dean was still in shock, “Apparently, one of them—or probably both—didn’t wish to be greeted by us.”

Dean wanted to kick the shit out of the boat when he yelled, “Fuck!  What do we do now?!”

Once more, Cas reached out and took his hand, offering, “Go home?  Wait for one of them to make contact?  We can’t blame them.  This is their life.  And no matter what, they won’t leave without saying goodbye.  You know that.”  Even while Dean brewed with panic, worry and frustration, Cas’, “Sam's your brother and he loves you, it’s just a matter of time,” helped out a little.

“Dammit!”  Frozen in place and helpless, Dean didn’t know _what_ to do.

Cas stepped to him and closed the distance, kissing his forehead and cupping his cheeks.  This touch was tender and reassuring, everything the alpha needed in that moment.  He sighed against Cas’ lips and felt the rigidness melted away, bit by bit.  Dean let go and wrapped his arms around his mate.  Even though his worry never left, the anger did.

He was pissed at Gabriel for pulling the wool over his eyes, yet again.  That ass-hat…maybe Dean wouldn’t be as cordial as he had planned…but he knew deep down, whatever happened was because he was pleasing his little brother.  Dean couldn’t fault them.

“Let’s go home.”  The words were hushed in his ear and Dean silently agreed, allowing himself to be led.

It truly would be on Sam and Gabriel’s terms: when and how they reached out.  There was no more radio, no satellite phone, Dean was at a complete loss and out of options on ways to get a hold of them.  The newly-mated pair were in the wind, and this was exactly what Dean had hired Gabriel to prevent in the first place!

It was ironic, but maybe he deserved it…thankfully, Dean had Cas by his side to keep him sane.  God, he had no idea what he’d do without him.


	10. Chapter Nine

It took three weeks inland and six meeting with Sam’s doctor before he was feeling like a human again.

The whole experience had been touch and go.  There had been moments when Sam had wanted to throw in the towel, tapering off the sheer amount of medication he’d been on was a special kind of hell in and of itself.  The side effects, the withdrawal (no matter how monitored)—if Sam didn’t have Gabriel, he wouldn’t have been able to handle it.

Yet, slowly through the process, the most _amazing_ things happened—

All those senses that had been dulled, as he pushed through the pain, Sam felt as though they reawakened.    
  
His nose, his body, his _everything_ could finally experience what Gabriel did.  What Gabriel _had,_ right from the very start.  What his alpha was surrounded in this entire time, and Sam was even more in awe of his mate.  Gabriel had showed him constant respect, restraint, and the alpha's ability to hold back—now knowing what he was holding back _from_ —left Sam awestruck.    
  
In the presence of _this—_

The scent of true mate?  Holy shit.  There was nothing like it.    
  
It made the world brighter, it made his pulse race for Gabriel each time they were together.  He could denote every fluctuation in his scent, Sam could experience all the small, delicious nuances and he could feel the love between them.  It rushed through their bond, as though it was tangible.

He never thought he could love his mate more.  Sam was proven wrong by experiencing him, unfiltered and raw.    
  
To think, he’d _missed out_ of this the entire time, but Gabriel hadn't missed a moment—and had to pretend he _didn't_ scent this…

It was staggering, Sam’s mind was blown.

Whenever he was having a rough day and wanted to quit, a lungful of Gabriel was the best motivation he could ask for.

They were sitting in front of his psych doctor, and Sam finally felt like he could breathe, the walls had stopped closing in—they’d vanished.

Gabriel was as close as Sam needed him on the couch, and Missouri looked thoroughly pleased with the pair.  Without hesitation, she said, “I’m so proud of how far you’ve come, Sam.”

“It’s…been a haul, hasn’t it?” he replied almost shyly, happily feeling Gabriel’s warmth in a line all the way down his side.  “Sorry for the late-night calls, I bet the random, potential breakdowns were annoying, there were so many, and—”

“Not at all.  Slowly lowering the dosages on so many medications can vary in different people’s systems.  Some experience withdrawal more than others.  Specific drugs, you can reduce more steeply, others you must go about it in minuscule amounts.  I wanted you to call.  Better to be safe than sorry, right?”  Her smile was kind and Sam could feel her sincerity right down in his heart.

Gabriel knew how emotionally and physically fatigued his mate was.  The alpha decided to be proactive, leaning forward to ask, “The last two.  Those are the ones, in your professional opinion, he should stay on?  And—”

“ _Can_.”  Missouri wore a knowing grin.  “Yes.  They won’t affect or put any potential addition to the family at risk.”  She addressed both men, glancing between them and stressing, “I’m not saying Sam isn’t strong enough to stop all medications.  I’m simply saying that if we can help ease some of the burden and make you more comfortable, there’s no reason to muscle through it by yourself.”

“Yeah,” the omega nodded, glowing so brilliantly he lit up the room.  “Wow.  Shit, I can’t believe that we did it!”

“ _You_ did the heavy lifting, kiddo.”  Gabriel pecked a kiss to his cheek.  “I was cheering you on from the sidelines, is all—”

“No,” Sam interrupted and shook his head.  “I couldn’t, in a million years, have done it without you.  You gave me something to push through it for.  And Gabe…” There was something demure about Sam's hushed announcement of, “We can really, _really_ have a family now,” when it passed his lips.

Gabriel matched his energy, keeping it tender (even through his scent burst much richer, _louder_ ) when he agreed.  “We can.  Nothing’s stopping us.”

Missouri allowed them to have their moment before she, too, then acknowledged, “You’ve got your green light.  The one you’ve been waiting for.  Now, if you go on another adventure, call my direct line and not the office, all right?  I’ll need to give you a year’s supply of your prescriptions so you don’t run the risk of being forced to go cold turkey in a random country.  Is there anything else I can do for you gentlemen today?”

When she stood up and went to shake their hands, Sam couldn’t hold himself back.  He’d known Missouri since before he’d been he’d been given a reason to become her patient.  The omega surged forward and hugged her.  He filled with room with a grateful, joyous scent, joined by Gabriel’s overwhelming delight.

Missouri, while caught off guard, laughed and hugged Sam back just as tightly.

When they parted, she wagged a finger at him.  “Now, as a friend and not your doctor?  You need to get with your brother.  Soon!  Lord knows he’s been blowin’ up my phone, trying to see if you’ve been here!  Thank God for patient-doctor confidentiality.  But that boy is a second away from hiring a private investigator!  Not sure I could fend one’a them off.”

“I’ll…get there.  Soon.”  Sam was determined, but he didn’t want to see Dean until he and Gabriel were solid again.  Until Sam had sorted out all of his own issues, worried Dean may stunt or derail his progress.

Sam wanted to hold off until he was secure and grounded in life, so nothing Dean threw at him would shake him.  If there was _one person_ who could (unintentionally) rock the boat: it was his brother.  
  
What could he say?  Dean had a talent.

“Good.  Now, you two have a lovely weekend.  Take care, and don’t be a stranger!”

The mated pair left the office with their heads held high, vibrating with energy.  The moment they got to the car was the second Gabriel suggested, “So…you thinking about cutting out that _other_ med you’re on?” and wiggled his eyebrows.

“I think so,” Sam grinned mischievously, and pointed out, “I mean, it’s not like we can have a family if I’m still on it, right?”

“Precisely!”  Gabriel eagerly hopped in and chuckled.  “You know who's gonna be just as stoked as us about the all-clear?”

“Our hostess?”  It wasn’t even a question, as he turned the keys in the ignition.

Gabriel confirmed, “Our hostess, indeed!”

\-------------------------

“Holy flip!”  Charlie was bouncing up and down at the report while Gabriel prepared dinner for the three of them.  “The time’s actually here!  This is the best news, dudes!”

When Sam had told Gabriel they were meeting a friend to stay with, Gabriel had not been expecting Charlie Bradbury.    
  
At first, he had no idea how the fuck he was going to handle it.  The alpha was used to his solitude: either on the seas or during other random, usually _solo_ adventures.  Charlie’s company and dynamic presence…was the complete opposite of privacy.  

Except, after over a month of living together, Gabriel had come to love her just as much as Sam did.

Even though the mated pair didn’t have much alone time, and she was the _definition_ of a cock-block (her job involved working from home) they had the rest of their lives together, right?    
  
Although, with Sam’s new-found senses and all the compelling desire, plus the force and gravity of true mates…they were gonna have a _lovely_ time when they were _truly_ alone.  When they had the leisure to take advantage of their privacy and one another to—

Anyway.  The point was: Charlie was _awesome_.  Plus, she housed them securely.

Charlie lied through her teeth to Dean and Cas, saying that she hadn’t heard anything about Sam making it to the states, let alone being in California.  What’s better, was that Sam and Gabriel were hiding in plain sight, right under Dean and Cas’ nose: Charlie was their best friend.  
  
Her place was also less than a ten minute drive away.  Normally, Charlie was a horrible, horrible liar.  This was the first instance where Sam’s puppy eyes went nuclear-grade, breaking down her walls by unveiling the entire story.  She saw this as a cause worth her fighting for, and once convinced, Charlie became a shockingly fantastic schemer.

She would go out with Dean and Cas, making sure to shower off Gabriel and Sam’s scent right before leaving, wearing perfume to be sure nothing lingered.  Charlie made sure she was putting herself out there, to keep up appearances so nothing was fishy.  It was honestly the perfect hideaway, being so close to Dean while the alpha was most likely searching far and wide.  Probably constantly expanding his search-zone when he should've been shrinking it.

Gabriel had to admit staying with one of their best mutual friends was smart—better than staying with a Sam-exclusive friends.  Their door would get knocked down every other day.

Since Charlie didn’t accept cash for housing them, Gabriel pulled their weight (during Sam’s detox, the omega was ordered by both Charlie and Gabriel to Netflix and—literally—chill on the couch) by helping with chores and cooking.  Charlie loved the meals he served up—and even though she insisted they didn’t have to do a thing, Gabriel would have gone stir-crazy, constantly worrying about Sam, if he didn't have a task.

While he cooked tonight, they chatted with her about how Sam’s check-up went.

“So,” Charlie shimmed her shoulders, “How soon until you get down to makin’ those adorable pups?”

“Charlie!” Sam admonished, but his bitchface wavered and he ended up laughing.  “Soon.  Hopefully really soon…” There was something wistful in his voice as his gaze skated over to his mate.  Before things turned sappy, Sam quipped back to Charlie, “Once we’re out of your hair, we’ll get right on that.  You seem even more eager than us.”

“Let me be their Godmother!”  She slapped a hand on the table, fawning over the idea, “ _Please_ , I’ll totally baby-sit and make it worth it!”

“Sounds dangerous!” Gabriel piped up from where he was working over the stove.  “Charlie?  With a _pup_?  I dunno, Sammy…”

“Hey, what could go wrong?  I’m great with kids!”  She spun around to lock eyes with the alpha, a hand over her heart.  “I’ve taken care of _you_ , haven’t I?”

“She’s got a point, Gabe…”

Gabriel gasped in feigned shock.  “Hush!  What’s with both of you ganging up on me?!  There won’t be a pup if you’re rude and I decide I’m not putting out anymore!  How’s that for a rebuttal?”

Charlie and Sam's gaze met and they widely grinned in sync, right before exploding with laughter—doubling over because their sides hurt.

Over the cackling, Gabriel tried to shout, “Hey!  Not funny!  What if I’m serious, huh!?  What then!”

“Gabe…out of all the worries I have in the world, you not putting out doesn’t even make the list.”  Sam wiped a tear from his eyes, still giggling.  “You just…keep cooking.  Once I catch my breath, I’ll set the table.”

Grumbling to himself, Gabriel had a few choice words of his own.  Except, none of them would be taken seriously, plus...he was too damn happy right now.  He never thought he could be this happy, and still to this day—every time he looked at Sam and realized the omega was his... his heartbeat sped up, tried to make a break from his chest, doing all these stupid things.

They were already living Gabriel’s dream, but another step up on this epic journey had just opened, and it was…unimaginable.  Luck was a curious thing, and Gabriel had won the lotto as this beautiful, strong and radiant omega of his openly discussed a family.  There simply weren’t words to describe the emotions flooding inside Gabriel, so he allowed himself _to feel_ and be wash away.

\--------------------------

They’d debated pros and cons.  They’d debated and the whens and wheres.

When Sam finally reached out to his brother, it was after begging Charlie to send a text from her phone about a meeting.  That conversation had been…painful.

Charlie…well, she was afraid of Dean.  She’d freaked, saying she couldn’t tell him she had been ’harboring fugitives’ under his nose the entire time.  So they played it out like a little white lie.  Sam told Charlie a fictional story, and told her to stick to it.

On the record, Gabriel and Sam had dropped by her place for the weekend.  And _only_ the weekend.    
  
Charlie “the good friend” Bradbury had instantly pressed them to reach out to their family.  Sam and Gabriel had agreed to do so, after they crashed and regrouped from their ‘whirlwind vacation’ of a trip they’d been on since they hit land.  Then, Charlie allowed them to use her phone.

Which was how Gabriel and Sam ended up in the very awkward situation of staring down Dean and Cas in a secluded booth at a restaurant.

They figured a public place was for the best because of Dean’s unpredictability and Sam’s new volatile reaction from being lied to.  
  
Yet, it wasn’t only the Winchesters who had played a role.  Castiel had been the one to recommend and recruit Gabriel.  Gabriel…had both been the man to agree, _and_ to turn on Dean and Cas in favor of mating Sam.  Gabriel was a double-crosser from both sides of the fence, and he was as much of a loose canon as Dean was.

It was a whole twisted web that led to this exact moment, and liquor.  Lots of liquor.

While Sam had stopped his birth control, it would still take a while to get it out of his system—just like the rest of the medications—he could freely drink in the meantime.  _God_ , did he need it tonight.

While at first, they’d met each other with pleasantries and hellos, that was as far as being cordial went.  After that…everything was tense.

Dean was the one to break the ice in an abrupt and bold way.  “So you guys have been dodging us for over a month.  What’ve you been doing to keep yourselves busy?”  It was curt.  Terse.

Every word that came from the couple's mouth had Gabriel compiling an answer, but it looked like his omega was taking the bait.  “I was showing _my mate_ around.  Meeting with Missouri.  Working to get off the majority of the meds I was on.  Basically,” Sam paused to down the rest of his whiskey, “I was on bed rest in my own hellish rehab facility.  Gabriel was taking care of me, keeping my breakdowns to a minimum.”

That, right there, seemed to knock a lot of the fight out of Dean.

In fact, he opened and closed his mouth a few times, clearly deliberating on his response.    
  
Eventually, he came up with, “Sammy…we could’ve helped you, too.  We were there when you started taking all that stuff, when you were swapping shit left and right to find what it took to take care’a the job.  Shit, man.  That was a rough go, _why_ are you throwing away all that hard work?”

He seemed genuinely worried and distressed, and Dean wasn’t wrong.  Sam remembered the first bout of anxiety, depression, and PTSD drugs.  The countless combinations, brands and cocktails he had to go through to get his brain chemistry and his fuck-ton of issues sorted out.  That was just another nightmare in a sea of the rest.

Gabriel reached under the table and set his left hand on Sam’s thigh while he tossed back his own drink.  This entire situation was…painful.  It was awkward, and they’d reached a point where only Sam held the reins, and Gabriel couldn’t announce his business for him.

Sam was poised to answer, but when the waitress came through with a round of refills for everyone (Hallelujah!) he waited until they were alone again.

Privacy was a necessity.  Who knew if there’d be an outburst, as Dean sat on the edge of his seat in anticipation.  Cas looked upon him with curious perplexity.  Gabriel wondered what exactly would come out of his mate’s mouth…

“At least I know what works, if I need to go back on them,” Sam said casually, shrugging his shoulders and tracing the edge of his new glass with his thumb.  “Gabe and I,” he caught Gabriel’s eyes with a smile that told his alpha, shit, _this was it_ , and radiated joy when he said, “We’re going to start a family.”

Dean turned ghost-white, but nothing phased Cas: it was part of his nature.  In fact, he thoughtfully hummed, “Oh.  That makes sense, due to certain medications damaging the fetus and—”

“Cas!” Dean balked, “Did you not just hear—?!”

“They’re clearly trying for a child.  Well, not yet,” he gestured to the drinks in front of them, “Since Sam is making a goal of intoxication this evening.  He clearly isn’t pregnant yet, however—”

Gabriel leaned on his palm in an attempt to muffle the snort of laughter, because—God—did he love his baby brother!  Dean was flipping out, and Cas was a cool as a cucumber.  In the meantime, oh, Sam _was_ very much looking to get drunk, as he picked up his drink again.

Dean lowered his voice into a harsh whisper, “Sam!  Are you _serious_?  Have you even thought this through?  I mean—!”

“Trust me.  I have.  I’ve been with Gabriel for nearly a year.  We’re true mates, Dean.   _True mates_ ,” he emphasized the words, staring his brother dead in the eyes.  “In my life, I’ve learned a few things that pulls everything else into perspective.”

Sam quickly snatched up Gabriel’s hand from under the table as he plowed ahead.  “I stared down death every single day for months on end.  I lived in complete darkness, in a fucking coffin I couldn’t even stretch out inside.  I was terrified of what the day would bring.  I was tortured and raped over and over, until I wished I _would_ die.  When I was saved?  Nothing seemed real.  That’s why I had to find myself.  And I didn’t find myself until I found Gabriel.”

To be honest, Gabriel was shaking from his mate’s words, Sam wasn’t anywhere close to backing down and he actually upheld his smile.  “When I found Gabriel?  I found _light_ again.  Not the fog I was wandering in.  Always questioning if a piece of me died underground.  By some miracle, I found a mate who loves me and all my baggage.  And I’m done guessing.  I’m moving forward.”

Everyone was speechless.

Completely speechless and stunned.

Although, Gabriel didn’t have to say much, he didn't need to—instead, he propelled forward and kissed Sam hard.  Fearlessly saying, “I love you,” against Sam’s lips.

“I love you, alpha,” Sam grinned and took a moment to steal an inhale of his true mate, and the overwhelming love beaming off him.  “And I mean it.”

“I…get it,” Dean slowly agreed.  “I mean, I can’t possibly understand.  You know that.  I can’t begin to imagine what you went through, Sammy.  But you deserve a happy ending.  And if this dude is it, then…hell yeah.”  He paused before admitting, “I shouldn’t have done what I did.  Even though he ended up being your true mate and it worked out, I’m sorry for calling in a bodyguard.  It was petrifying when I lost you.  I-I can’t go through that again, neither of us could.  I like to think my heart was in the right place, for what it’s worth.”

“Well, at least you know how to pick them,” the omega tried to joke.

Cas interrupted, “It was me who called him up, actually.”

Dean shot his mate a look and rolled his eyes, “If yer gonna take credit for the _mate_ , you take credit for the _mess_!”

“No,” Cas determined and crossed his arms.  “I was merely suggesting a suitable candidate.  It was all your plan.”

“Of course!  Because you can do no wrong!”  Dean elbowed his mate in jest, and the heaviness in the room seemed to lift like a morning haze.

Castiel was actually fascinated, and turned his focus to Gabriel.  “I never knew that you wanted children.  I was surprised you even mated, to be honest.  How do you think you’ll fare as a father?  You’ll need to watch Sam and the alcohol—”

“Jesus!  Cas!” Gabriel jerked back at the rapid-fire questions, “Chill, okay?  Sam can take care of himself, he’s a big boy.  And it’s you assholes who are making us drink with all this tension— _yesh_!”  He pecked a kiss to Sam’s cheek, who was currently locking his eyes with Castiel, as a challenge he chugged more of his whiskey.  
  
Despite all that, he managed to answer the questions seriously.  “I talked to Sam about this.”  Gabriel didn’t hold back, if his mate could show so much courage on the most sensitive of topics, Gabriel damn well better follow his lead.  “I never thought I’d be mated— _until Sam_.  I didn’t think I’d want a pup.  Until Sam.  He’s kind of got this knack for moving in and turning my world upside down.  And it’s amazing.  I can’t fucking wait.”

“Hmm,” Cas nodded his head slowly.  “Very interesting.  I suppose that’s what true mates do, by definition, isn’t it?  Intriguing.  I’d enjoy a niece or nephew.”

Gabriel and Sam both were caught off guard by the way Cas lit up at the concept, not having taken the pair seriously before this very moment.  Dean looked surprised as well.

In fact, Dean hesitantly asked his mate, “Uh.  Cas?  Do you…want pups?”

“I believe that’s a discussion for later.”  He shut it down as soon as it was brought up, everyone could tell instantly, it was a hot topic.  One that Dean was (more than likely) dense about.

“Okay then!”  Dean's hands rose in front of him.  After pursing his lips, he lowered his voice to say, “Uh, guys.  Just so you know, I think there’s a few people sneaking some pictures of you…”

“Let ‘em,” Gabriel didn’t think twice about slinging his arm around Sam’s shoulders.  “This is the first time we’ve been in public.  Figured it would happen.”

With a low whistle, Dean noticed Sam’s smile right away.  “Never thought I’d see you willing to give it up for the paparazzi.  Well, good on you!  Cheers to the future?” he asked and raised his glass.

The other three picked up their own in solidarity, and Dean continued, “Cheers for you not hiding from me and texting from Char’s phone too?  I don’t want you to be a stranger while you’re still here, Sammy.”

“All right.  I’ll cheers to that.”  Sam meant it.

That set the tone for the rest of the evening, and thank God it had evolved for the better.  Despite everything, neither Winchester wanted to be upset with the other.  Both brothers loved one another, so the quicker they could fix things without ignoring the other?  Everybody won.

They caught up, getting lost in each other’s stories.  Of Sam’s (or Sam plus Gabriel’s) misadventures in random port towns, of Dean’s uncanny police cases, and Cas would interject with stories of his own.  It was…really, _really_ fun.  No one had realized how much time had gone by, how much had happened, until they really began chatting and catching up, but...it had been around a year— _wow_.  
  
Sam couldn’t remember the last time he relaxed, drank, and simply enjoyed a laid back night with his brother.

It was pretty fantastic, and it came with the promise of another before they left, and at least a few more casual visits before then.  In the end, Sam had known no matter what—Dean would understand.  Even if it took some kicking and screaming, he’d get it.

A new fact emerged: the more Dean drank, the more thrilled he became about a little one running around the joint—he was captivated with the idea of being an uncle.  Both Cas and Dean were cheering them on with support, some of it being selfish, and Sam wouldn’t hesitate to give him hell about when he was sober.  
  
Another nice turn of events, even though Sam had the money—when he agreed to give a statement to the media who eventually gathered: they agreed to pick up the tab.  That _may_ have encouraged the four men to drink more.    
  
When they were drinking for free, why not enjoy it?  Especially if it was on the paparazzi, who had made Sam’s life miserable during the trial.  Karma was what Gabriel had called it.  Beautiful karma.

\--------------------------

The reason they’d stayed with Charlie was to fly under the radar.  However, the second they’d met with Dean and Cas, and news hit the press, (that Sam Winchester was alive and well, _and_ mated) they didn’t need to anymore.  Now, they were able to stroll around freely, and even better: find a place for the two of them.  

They hadn’t worn out their welcome, per se, but Charlie was an adult.  They were totally encroaching on her space.  She’d done them a huge favor, and gone above and beyond for them.

It was tempting to hop back on the Amphitrite, but spending more time with their brothers had become a priority since they smoothed things over.  Sam wasn’t looking to lay down roots at this time, he liked the life Gabriel had and so he took advantage of his deep pockets.    
  
They set up shop at the nicest hotel in the area.

Finally, fucking _finally_ , they were alone.

“Oh my God!” Gabriel exclaimed, stretched out on the massive, lavish bed next to his mate, “Freedom, at last!”  
  
Sam’s head lulled to the side and grinned, watching the contentment playing across Gabriel’s face.  With a playful smack, he commented, “Be careful, I’m gonna get jealous.”  
  
“Like you have a damn thing in the world to be worried about.  You know I'd do anything—literally, _anything_ —for you.”  He shifted to face the omega and added casually, “It’s coming up, isn’t it?”  
  
“How did you know?”  Sam was taken off guard, curiosity getting the best of him.  “Is that...something I still haven’t gotten working again yet?  I thought that the—”  
  
“No!  No, no, Sammy.”  With a laugh, Gabriel was lightening fast to assure him, “Trust me, you’re back to normal.  I’m very meticulous about dates.  And I figured, since you went off your suppressants, if your cycle went back to _normal_ —it would be coming up soon.  It’s math, not my nose.”  He scooted closer and brushed his lips along the length of Sam’s neck.  “Although, I’m getting some _excellent_ reception right here.”  
  
A light blush rose on Sam’s cheeks as he defended, “It started with you getting hot and bothered about the bed...but yeah.  You’re right.  And I think that the birth control will be long gone by then.  It’s the best time to try for a pup, hell, with us it may even be guaranteed.”  Changing his attitude around, the omega's confidence easily bubbled to the surface, because he'd _fought_ for this!  Sam raised a challenging eyebrow, asking, “Are you in, alpha?”  
  
“Fuck yes.”  Gabriel moved to pin his mate down with a filthy smirk.  “I don’t wanna wear you down before your heat, or anything, but I really, _really_ think we need to take advantage of current solitude…” he moved to pull off Sam’s shirt, “ _and_ this bed that’s got me all hot and bothered,” and began to strip away his clothes.  
  
Sam eagerly responded, lifting his hips to allow Gabriel to pull down his pants and boxers.  “Much better than quickies and blow jobs on the pull-out couch, huh?”  
  
“Mm-hm—”  As Sam’s hands began to wander over Gabriel, a rumble in his chest told the omega the dam would break in no time.  “Jesus, how long has it been since I’ve actually knotted you?”  
  
“I don’t wanna think about it,” he decided, now ripping away the alpha’s clothing, “I wanna fix it.”  
  
Gabriel was preening, “There’s my mate.”  
  
Sam nodded in a rush, and the moment their clothes were gone, he pulled their bodies flush.  The alpha was surprised, because Sam’s kiss was fierce and he rolled on top of him, claiming every inch of skin with his own weight and whispered, “Wanna fix not being able to feel you like this, too.”  
  
The omega grabbed Gabriel’s wrists and swept both their arms up until the alpha’s hands were pinned above his head.  While Sam’s fingertips ghosted down the length of his forearm he whispered, “Stay,” until his hands balanced on Gabriel’s chest and fanned out.  
  
He took his time, worshiping every inch of skin, allowing every inch of the other to touch because Sam was right again.  When the hell did they have the time to be undressed together?  Even in the shower, they felt it would be rude, that it would make Charlie awkward if they were in there together.  
  
This rawness, the exposure had Sam hungry and he was _taking—_ Gabriel felt his hunger for his mate growing as every moment unfolded.  Sam would have these bouts of desires that needed to be quenched and the alpha would happily let him take the lead, eager to see what his omega would do.  Each and every time he was surprised, he was driven mad, and tonight was no different.  
  
Sam’s hands were digging into his thighs as his mouth descended across the planes of Gabriel’s stomach—the alpha’s heart was in his throat.  His cock was pulsing, he could practically feel the heat of Sam’s shadow simply looming over him and he could almost taste his slick, the aroma so heavy in the air.  
  
While Gabriel’s mouth watered, Sam’s hovered: before his tongue darted out and he kitten-licked all the precum that had leaked down Gabriel’s shaft.  God, the alpha did not hold back from telling Sam about both his appreciation and sexual frustration—  
  
“Y-you know damn well how fast you can get me off with your mouth,” Gabriel groaned and pathetically arched his hips upward, Sam teasing him, flicking his tongue at random.  “Fuck!  I thought we were done with quickies and blow jobs—”  
  
“Heh, you hate not being in control, don’t you?” Sam mused, sucking a mark on to his hip bone while he wrapped his hand around Gabriel’s cock.  “We took the simplest things for granted when we had all the privacy in the world.  It really has been an...adjustment.”  
  
“Naked swimming a-and sunbathing?” Gabriel offered with a wicked grin, even though he was moaning into Sam’s fist.  “I miss that, too.  Miss _you_ more.”  
  
“I know.”  The omega was exuding mischief and sexual energy when he asked, still jerking Gabriel's cock, "How should I put you out of your misery?"  
  
The alpha was fighting with himself.  Between thrusting into Sam's touch, begging, and _thinking_ (that was the most difficult thing!) since he knew this was all a game to Sam!  He had to play along, he needed to give him an answer, or the omega would just let him cum in his hand, all because Gabriel was too distracted.  Because it had been too long.  Because he wanted his mate more than he wanted air...  
  
Gabriel lashed out and grabbed Sam's wrist, forcing him to stop, while he caught his breath.  Oh, he didn't look too happy with that, not at all.  
  
Except, the alpha slapped on a devilish smirk and said, "Give me a number."  
  
"Between one and ten?" Sam asked drably, sitting up on his haunches.  
  
"No..."  He chased after him, lips brushing and sucking along the length of Sam's throat.  "See, I've got way too many ideas on how I wanna put you out of your misery.  So you tell me the number of times I'm allowed to fuck you and knot you, before your heat.  I can prioritize tonight."  
  
The words made Sam sharply inhale and nod eagerly, wrapping his arms around Gabriel when he was tackled back to the bed.  "Hell yes.  I like that answer."  
  
"Well?" Gabriel wasn't messing around, spreading Sam's legs and waiting on his cue.  
  
Sam pursed his lips together, and seemingly threw out at random, "Let's say...five."  
  
That was how Sam found himself quickly,  _intimately,_ acquainted with that bed Gabriel had fallen in love with: face-full of pillow, rutting into the mattress and tangled in the sheets.  The mated pair also knew that five was just a number, and they didn't do very well with boundaries, going easy on Sam for an upcoming heat or not.    
  
The fact was: they'd missed each other.  And when the omega finally made love to his true mate _without_ the brain fog?  In a hotel with nothing to do but be with one another after a block taken out of their honeymoon period?  ...It was never only going to be five times...


	11. Chapter Ten

Their extended inland honeymoon was sweet, it was leisurely and Sam was able to show Gabriel around more because there wasn’t any fear in the paparazzi.  It turned out, the less they alluded them, the less the pair was harassed.  
  
Ironically, Gabriel—who was constantly on the run on the high sea, enjoying life without a soul around—turned out to enjoy engaging with those shouting questions and taking pictures.  Sam remembered the days the alpha wouldn’t even go inland because he valued his alone-time, and now he was quoted on the cover of magazines.  
  
It made Sam’s life so much easier—Gabriel took him out of the line of fire—and the omega wondered if he did it on purpose, to help, or he enjoyed it?  In the end, it didn’t matter.  
  
Some days they’d try to disguise themselves, other times they didn’t bother.  
  
With Sam’s heat coming up, they were landlocked for a chunk of time and then they discussed one more adventure.  
  
It was really difficult to tell...Sam wondered if his mate, being away from the water for so long, was going stir-crazy or suffering from wanderlust.  
  
Gabriel was such a free spirit, was he aching to leave?  To get back out and explore?  To see nothing but endless ocean and be free?  Sam, himself, actually felt the niggling desire to get back on the ship.  
  
At first, Sam thought maybe he associated it with happiness, or with _Gabriel’s_ happiness, but the more he thought about it, he realized—that _was_ his own freedom.  It was where he found himself, like he told his brother.  Devoid of fear, Amphitrite was where the mated pair could be together in their own little safe haven.  
  
Soon, they’d be back.  Sam had to remind himself of that.  He hoped that Gabriel knew it, too.  
  
\-------------------------  
  
This time, now that the coast was clear (and after they ran through ‘the story’ again) Charlie joined a get-together over at Dean and Cas’.  It was a long time coming, and Gabriel was curious if Dean was taking his sweet time planning the evening, or getting over some kind of bitch-fit from being lied to.  Even though it was a pot-and-kettle situation, no one denied the alpha could hold a grudge.  
  
When they heard that she’d been invited, both Sam and Gabriel were beyond excited to see Charlie again.  Living on top of each other for so long meant they needed a break, but it had been over two weeks of Sam and Gabriel being on their own, and the invite for family time came at a perfect point.  
  
With Sam’s cycle in the near-future, then another trip on the horizon: this was just the evening they needed.  
  
“I think you’ll feel at home.”  Sam had helpfully informed Gabriel on the way over, “They’ve got a pool, and you can float on one of the inflatable chairs.  Close your eyes.  Pretend it’s the yacht.”  
  
“And _you_ can shut your face, hold your breath, be ready when I shove you in that pool,” he snipped right back.  
  
Soon, they arrived at the front door.  It was eerie for Sam in a way he hadn’t anticipated when he knocked.  Dean and Cas’ house, their actual _home_ —   
  
The omega hadn’t stared down this lightly chipping burgundy paint (from Dean fighting against the handle and slamming the heavy wood shut) since the incident and the trial.  
  
After the hospital and his recovery, they’d laid low here for as long as they could before the media storm was too much.  Until the reporters and photographers were no longer a dull roar, but a constant thunder outside, on the lawn.  And that's when they high-tailed it back to Kansas to their safehouse, of sorts.  They needed to stay here, because of the trial, the doctors, but as soon as their objective was to flying under the radar, Dean’s house wasn't safe.  
  
Once the verdict was in, they fled to Kansas.  Sam only wished they could've done it sooner.  
  
Dean Winchester was a name on record, he was the arresting officer who led the team, he was easy to find and so the house was off-limits while they were biding their time.  Sam was curious, wondering how long it took for the whole mess to blow over in California once they returned.  It didn’t matter how discreet they were at the beginning, everyone knew too fucking soon that Sam was hiding away at this very house.  It was too easy to connect the dots.  While this was a home for his brother and his mate, the last memory Sam had was trying to scrape together the mess he’d become.  
  
Gabriel noticed his hesitancy, he reached out and grabbed Sam’s hand, but waited in silence for a cue.  That was the thing— the alpha never pushed, but he sure knew _something_ was happening.  
  
It was then, that _Sam_ noticed something was happening.  Fuck—   
  
He shook himself off, he _couldn’t_ have an episode— it was one thing he’d feared since getting off his meds!  If Gabriel saw him backpedal, if he thought that Sam made a mistake, he would undoubtedly put Sam first.  Even if it meant holding off on their family.  
  
God, Sam could imagine Gabriel doing exactly that in a heartbeat, he _had_ to pull his shit together, remember the calming techniques he’d learned in therapy.  No way in hell had he thought _this_ would be a hurdle.  Sam anticipated tonight being fun: a celebration!  This served as a reminder that things were still so...tentative.  
  
Before anything else could pull him down, Sam quickly knocked on the door.  
  
Sam’s arm had barely returned to his side when his brother, wearing the most brilliant smile, threw it open.  “Jesus, Sammy!  Wondered when you’d stop hoverin’ and get your ass in here!  C’mon, Charlie’s here, we’re doing a round of shots!”  
  
While Gabriel squeezed his hand, the omega knowing that his mate was ready to defend him at a moment’s notice...he didn’t need it.  
  
Sam pulled them both inside, teasing Dean, “You think I could give Gabriel a tour before we do a shot?”  
  
“Nope!” he cackled, heartily patting both men on the backs and leading them directly to the table where the other two were waiting, “This is yer greeting!”  
  
Cas, with a very stoic expression, stated plainly, “Dean is already quite intoxicated.”  
  
“Gabe!  Sammy!” Charlie instantly launched at both of them, hugging them tightly and before they could get a word in, noticing her scent—   
  
Castiel, once more, raised his voice to explain, “Charlie has consumed an impressive amount of liquor, as well.”  After a pause, before the woman could admonish him, (as she was poised to) Cas finished with, “As have I.”  
  
“Goddamn!” Gabriel barked out a laugh, “Did you guys pregame our arrival, or something?!  Give me that!” he ordered, diving for the bottle that was sitting on the table, as well as two clean shot glasses, ready to greet them.  “Looks like we’ve gotta catch up, babe!”  
  
With a grin, Sam’s eyes moved through the room, thoroughly amused _and_ content with the scene in front of him.  This was exactly how things were supposed to be.  
  
“Yep.  I guess Gabriel isn’t getting the tour.”  
  
\------------------------------  
  
Everyone ended up passing two bottles around while lounging on the back patio.  Through random, ridiculous dares and rambunctious actions, each of the five had managed to take a dive in the pool at least once.  Whether it was an accident or on purpose varied by who was telling the story.  
  
Sam was currently soaked.  Charlie and he had ended up on the wrong side of a bet and ended up having to cannonball in, fully clothed.  The bright side, was that Charlie’s trajectory and Sam’s size was perfectly plotted, and they managed to splash the other three men, so no one in the place was dry.  
  
Now, Sam was seated on unforgiving stone ground, but the booze was enough to dull his senses, and he could’ve been sitting on ten pillows, for all he knew.  Charlie’s legs were swung on either side of his body as she sat on the lawn chair, and he had his head tilted back.  
  
He’d loudly complained about how he didn’t have a hair tie, and Sam was just drunk enough to let her french braid his hair to keep it out of his face.  Of course, Dean was downright giddy and taking pictures.  Sam couldn’t care less, his brother made fun of him the first time he’d worn his hair up, and soon the novelty faded.  The omega would let him have this.  These days, it took a lot more to offend Sam.  
  
Plus, Gabriel's fond smile as he watched on was giving him butterflies anyway.  So much so, that he extended his hand and called out, “Bottle!” to distract himself.  
  
It was Cas who handed him the whiskey, knowing that he preferred it to the vodka making its rounds, although no one was too picky at this point.    
  
When Sam took a swig, Charlie groaned, “Stop moving!  Do you want this to work, or not?!”  
  
“Wow, she’s really, really into this!” Dean clapped his hands, “Who’s next?  You think you could do something with Gabriel’s hair, Char?”  
  
“This another bet, Winchester?”  A shark-like grin flashed on her face, “You’re playing with fire!”  
  
And Dean really was.  He had no idea precisely how formidable Charlie could be—after all this partying _and_ being three sheets to the wind, they still managed to stick to their story.  No one had leaked _any_ information about the full month spent with her.    
  
As soon as she finished, she patted Sam on the back and released him, announcing, “You’re beautiful!” and snatched up the bottle from him.  
  
Sam couldn’t help it, he reached up and patted along the knitted strands secured by crossed bobby pins and hummed in appraisal, “That’s not going anywhere.  Thank you, Charlie.”  
  
“Yes, thank you, Charlie,” Dean emphasized, leaning over the arm of his reclined chair, the flash of his phone blinding everyone and almost toppling over in the process.  “I’ll be appreciating these pics for years to come!”  
  
Gabriel had been on his feet and made a beeline for the pair, both intercepting the whiskey and interrupting, “A-plus!  You’re gonna have to teach me your skills, then I can practice on Sam.”  He pointed out, “If we have a little girl, she’ll have the best fuckin’ hair on land or open sea!”  
  
“Of course!”  Charlie transformed back into a swooning mess, “I’m still the Godmother, right?  You haven’t filled that spot?  Right?   _Right_?!”  
  
“Whew, I think you’ve shown your enthusiasm!  Earned the title,” Sam laughed, allowing his mate to assist in hauling his ass off the ground.  “And I'm sure if anyone else was even remotely interested, you’d fight them to the death.”  
  
She watched Sam sway on his feet with a knowing smirk.  The was the omega leaned heavily against Gabriel...Charlie knew it wasn’t for simple balance—Sam was taking advantage of the booze as an excuse for unassuming PDA.  “God, you’re adorable.  And you know that I’d kill ‘em dead.”  She paused, turned to Dean and promised, “But, like, don’t arrest me, I’m joking, I’d never kill anyone!”  
  
“I know that, you nerd,” Dean rolled his eyes and decided the vodka within reach would do.  “You’re the most harmless person I know.  Probably don’t even have’a parking ticket.”  
  
“It’s very interesting, how quickly you hit it off,” Castiel nonchalantly interjected, “Considering you’ve known each other for such a small span of time.  It takes Gabriel quite a while to warm up to someone, and yet he’s already agreeing Charlie would be a fit to be Godmother to his pup.  Remarkable.”  
  
The three awkwardly laughed, because Cas was doing what Cas always did: stating facts aloud without thinking of repercussions or having a lick of tact.  Maybe if he’d just take a closer look at the things he was saying for once, instead of blurting them out for his ( _literal_ ) detective of a mate to hear—!  
  
Gabriel was the smoothest liar out of all of them.  He effortlessly slung an arm around Charlie while supporting Sam, and used a throwaway, “Hey, good people are good people, and we bonded over that weekend.  Plus, since Sam’s the one housing this little whippersnapper, I think it’s only fair _he_ gets to pick who’s gonna be ‘god’ing over ‘em!”  
  
It was terrifying when Dean squinted at them, (now, thanks to Cas) analyzing them under a microscopic scrutiny.  His eyes didn’t even shift when he took a chug from the bottle.  Right before he opened his mouth to say something, Sam played the ace up his sleeve.  
  
There was only _one thing_  Sam knew would throw his brother off—based solely on the reactions garnered last time.  
  
“Are you and Cas giving any thought to starting a family?” Sam drummed up some confidence just so he didn’t squeak.  You know, like a guilty party would.  Except...a very heavy silence ensured.  
  
During that silence, Charlie, Gabriel and Sam broke apart and collapsed into their respective chairs while Cas and Dean shared a telling stare.  
  
From the looks of it, Sam’s ace may _not_ have been the best idea, after all.  
  
“N-not sure,” Dean stumbled over his words, false bravado strong, and Sam could see right through him.  “Maybe one day.”  
  
Inside, Sam was cringing—it was physically _painfully_ obvious—this was a conversation that _tried_ to happen, but someone shot it down.  One of the two felt strongly about the topic and the other was avoiding it.    
  
He couldn’t figure out which of the pair was guilty, but Sam knew damn well it was a battle of the jackasses.  
  
It wasn’t a difference of opinion so much as it was a miscommunication.  An abort-mission type situation, a half-had conversation.  Someone was running away from the topic, and Sam wondered if maybe...just maybe...this _was_ the time to pursue it—?  
  
When there was support among family.  
  
“Oh yeah?  What's 'one day?'”  Sam didn’t know why he was doing this, maybe because he’d fought so hard to get a chance, himself.  “Are we talking five-year plan?  Three year?  Ten will be too long, you know that, right?”  
  
He was sitting in the same chair, cuddled against Gabriel, when his mate hissed low in his ear, “ _What are you doing_?” but Sam ignored him.  
  
“Clearly, ten years would be too long, Sammy.  Thank you so much for the newsflash.”  Dean’s jaw was set and he ground his teeth, only to take another drink.  
  
His brother had been slowing down until now, but this most definitely pushed a button.  Fine.  If he wanted to be like that?  Sam zeroed in, right to the best source: he knew with Cas, liquor or not, he'd be met with no filter, no hesitation, no bullshit, no nothing.  
  
“Cas, what do you wa— ”  
  
“Dean has seen too much horror in the world and he doesn’t believe it’s the place to raise a child.”  
  
Okay, Sam was so surprised, he flinched.  Not merely because of the reasoning, but because of the fluctuation in _Cas’_ voice.  While he’d solved the puzzle, it wasn’t what Sam had expected whatsoever.  
  
He’d always thought of his brother wanting that white-picket-fence, apple-pie life.  Surrounded by little ones running around the yard—to leave a legacy, generations of Winchester-Novaks to come.  That wasn’t the case at all.   _Cas_ was the one who wished it, and Dean was too jaded to even _discuss it_ because…  
  
How did you reason against evil?  
  
Everyone who had the means, the arm length to reach for a bottle, began drinking.  The party had gone array in ten seconds, flat.  
  
Not for Sam, not yet.  He stared Dean down and demanded, “Is this because of what happened to me?  Is that the horror you’re talking about?”  
  
Dean’s focus was unsteady, like he didn’t want to confirm it.  That in and of itself was answer enough.  Except, before Sam could say another thing, he exhaled sharply, wiped a hand down his face and regrouped.  “Yeah.  Part of it is.  Not all of it.  My job, everything that I fight against, it’s...I don’t even know where to begin.  How fucked up people are, the damage they cost, and those who get away with it?”  
  
“If the system’s broken, why don’t you get out of the system?” Sam was going head-to-head with Dean, whether he liked it or not.  “Why not bring light into the world instead of being blocked by that horror you see?  I-I don’t get it.  You guys would be _amazing_ parents!  Maybe California isn’t the place for you, but there’s still our house in Kansas.  You have options, don’t let others make your choices for you.”  
  
The thing that hurt more than Dean’s silence was the barest light of hope glimmering in Cas’ eyes.  
  
Dean only shrugged and said, “I’ll take your suggestion into consideration.  Can we move along, now?  We were having an awesome time, guys!”  He turned his voice to Charlie, over-eagerly inviting, “Wanna play flip-cup?  Or— ”  
  
“I’m actually thinkin’ it’s time to sleep this off, guys!”  She deliberately stretched out and yawned, “But this was _totally_ great, getting together!  We _must_ do it again before you two go off on your last, grand adventure!”  
  
How fast Charlie handed out hugs and called an Uber was...superhuman.   On the way over, Sam and Gabriel had assumed they’d holler at the same guy who brought them over— it was a man who’d driven them multiple times and gave them his direct work line, because he was fantastic with discretion and off-the-beaten path routes.  But now it was too late at night.  
  
In hushed voices, they decided it would be better to stay here.  No one wanted to risk some asshole with an iPhone selling a clip of them smashed, stumbling into their cab, with it ending up a viral video.  Dean and Cas had a guestroom anyway and the mated pair had this predisposition to make sure that their siblings were all right.  
  
Because— at the moment?  No one was.  No matter how Dean tried to talk his way out of it.  
  
It was at the very, very end of the night when Gabriel got the tour of the house— they pointed out their bedroom for the evening— and Dean grabbed some of Sam’s old clothes so he could wear something dry.  Gabriel was left with some of Cas’ PJ's that didn’t fit right, but it would work.  
  
They sat in the low light of the room, knowing they weren’t getting to sleep, and it was Gabriel who finally recognized, “I highly doubt Dean-o or Cassie are passing out soon.”  
  
“Which one do you want?” Sam instantly asked, “We gotta fix this.”  
  
\--------------------------------------  
  
Sure enough, not only were Cas and Dean up, they were separated—just as Sam and Gabriel had anticipated.  When they’d discussed their plan of attack, the omega was surprised by the way his mate had, well...attacked it.  He had a clear path, a strong conviction, and who was Sam to get in his way?  
  
That was what led Sam into the living room, finding Cas staring blankly out the window with a glass of water in hand, balancing on the sill.  
  
“Hey, Cas,” Sam greeted softly, trying not to startle the other omega.  “Can we talk?”  
  
He hadn’t moved from his spot, responding in monotone, “We are talking, Sam.”  
  
“You’re being stubborn.”  Sam sighed and attempted to sit down calmly (rather than tipping over into a frustrated flop) on the couch.  “Seriously, I wanna chat.  Or I want you to listen.  Could you do me that favor, at the very least?”  
  
Slowly, _painfully_ slow, Cas moved away from the window and robotically took a seat on the chair across from Sam.  There was hardly any light in the room, but it was irrelevant.  Since day one, Sam had found the best way to figure Cas out was through his scent.  He was difficult to read, so the shadows obstructing his face would probably help Sam in the long run.  
  
It was endearing: an omega who appeared cold to the rest of the world, but was so alive in his scent if you were lucky enough to truly know him.  Those who Cas let in, who got close enough were in for a wonderful surprise, they never took for granted they were blessed.    
  
It made sense so much sense, something clicked—now that Sam was without his medication: Gabriel was _exactly_ the same.  
  
A pair of brothers with two strongly built, world-weary poker faces who brilliantly showed their true selves through scent.    
  
Sam had previously known this about Cas, Gabriel more recently—he had connected the dots.  
  
“The pup thing.  It wasn’t an issue until we made it one, was it?  I didn't mean for it to end up like this,” Sam expressed, rather than asked.  “I thought, if anything, it would be a _good_ conversation.  Growing up, I assumed it was me, out of the two of us, who'd dig my heels in about family.  Especially when we were adults, it was always a given Dean would want it.  That’s why it didn’t even register the conversation could’ve gone wrong.”  
  
“It went wrong, Sam.”  Cas’ words were to the point.  “It went very, very wrong.”  
  
Taking a steadying breath, Sam leaned forward, praying Cas would work with him.  “Would you tell me about it?”  
  
He looked like he was considering it.  After a long drink of water, Cas set the glass on his knee, cradling it with great care in both hands.  His eyes were intently studying the carpet, lips pursed.  Sam sniffed the air—his heart breaking from the wafting sorrow.  
  
Against the odds, Castiel began speaking.  “I was of the same mind.  That it was only a matter of time before Dean brought it up.  At the beginning of our relationship, I was dreading the time it came up.  Knowing it was inevitable, I...warmed up to it on my own.  Looked forward to it, even.  Before I knew it, we’d been mated for countless years and years.  Dean, he never spoke of it.  Who was I to ask, when I was initially so reluctant, even though I wished it now?  And then, you and Gabriel…”  
  
When he trailed off, Sam knew Cas was a second away from shutting down, so he had to provoke him.  “What happened after?  You had a conversation, that's why you already knew Dean’s bullshit reason.”  
  
“But Sam—” Cas’ voice was quivering when he looked up, the omega could see the truly desperate, fearful flash of blue in the headlights of passing cars, “if his reason is ‘bullshit,’ then there’s something wrong _with me_.”  
  
“No, I didn’t mean it like that,” he promised, God, Sam couldn’t fuck this up!  “If anything: it’s _me_.  You know that, right?  Fuck, I was such a burden on you guys, it wasn’t fair.  It wasn’t my fault _or_ your fault, it just happened and—”  
  
“Don’t say those things.  You’re family.  All we care about is your happiness.  The nightmare brought upon us, it shook us down to our cores.  Now, with your current joy, we can make the proper moves to put it behind us.”  It was a classic Cas response, the kindness mixed with fact mixed with putting _himself_ and his needs at a distance.  
  
“Please.  Tell me what happened.”  He was close to cracking, Sam knew it!  
  
Cas set the cup on the side table and folded his hands.  At last, he admitted, “I broached the topic.  Dean wouldn’t.  I thought that if anything would lead to a discussion about us having a family, it would be the two of you jumping into one so quickly.  He tried to talk around it until I grew tired.  I _needed_ an answer, I was emotional—and...I antagonized him.”  
  
“He snapped,” Sam acknowledged, because he’d witnessed, firsthand.  When Cas needed to get something done, he knew exactly how to get under Dean’s skin.  “He’s done that before.  You don’t know if he was—”  
  
“Dean spoke very passionately about it.”  Now that Cas began, he wasn’t stopping.  The dam had broken: Sam was getting his answers within the flood, all right.  “He went into great length, explaining all those horrors.  About the jobs he’s worked, the revolting criminals he's faced during interrogations, stories from his friends, about what happened to you.  About things you didn’t see when he was pulling you out.  Things they weren't able to collect enough forensics on, linking back to the crimes scene that _should have_ put your assailants on death row, Sam.”  
  
The news made the omega recoil.  “What...forensics?”  
  
“We tried to shield you the best we could.  You wanted to keep your head out of the news, away from anything besides your case—and only your case.  We needed to help _you_ , put you first.  But Dean was working more angles of that case than you even knew.”  Cas hunched over—crestfallen.  He attempted to hold a mechanical timbre when he explained, “There was another small location, created just off the sewer line.  They found traces of blood and hair at the entrance, bone-dust clinging to the ladder.  There was nothing but ash and accelerants at the bottom of the pit.  Sam, they counted DNA from over a dozen omegas.  Yet, not enough evidence for a murder conviction.”  
  
“I...remember smelling smoke,” Sam was breathless, realizing, “They were killing us and burning the bodies?”  
  
“Yes.  They had no plans to take care of omegas long-term, they used their victims until they gave out, and destroyed the bodies on site.  Then abducted more to replace them.  Dean was close.  He was _so close_ but never found that physical piece they needed.”  Cas sounded as pained as Sam felt, “It was barbaric.  Dean was transfixed, obsessed—there _wasn’t_ enough to connect the victims to missing persons reports, for the loved ones to gain closure.  But there enough to know there _was_ a slaughter.  Dean was fighting through this, all while keeping stiff upper lip for you.”  
  
It was like an epiphany struck Cas, “I suppose it makes sense.  In a world where justice cannot be served, why raise a child based around a lie?   Why give them faith people are good, then expose them to corruption?  Why take the chance, when something like this could happen to them?”  
  
“Because, Cas!”  Even with Sam shaken, his belief wasn’t.  “We’re the ones raising the generation who can make the change.  Because we won’t let the bad guys win and take away our chance for something good.  Remember, you said my joy can help put this behind us?  What about _yours_?”  
  
All Castiel could do was blink.  “You’re a stronger man than I, Sam.”  
  
“No, I’m not.  You had to be stronger to put me back together,” he countered, then asked, “Do _you_ still want a family?  Ignoring Dean.  This is about you.”  
  
His nod was so subtle, shy.  “I do.”  
  
“Okay, good.  Don’t bend to Dean’s whims on this one, you hear me?  Not until we figure out what’s really going on in his head.”  Sam stood up, the smells surrounding Cas stabbed him deep.  He grabbed the other omega's hand and hauled him over, to join him, on the couch.  “You’re not sleeping yet and I'm not either.  Let’s watch TV for a bit?  Until our thick-headed alphas come back?”  
  
“Wait—is Gabriel—” Cas, this close up, scented scared instead of wary.  
  
Sam’s eyebrows screwed up into a frown, “He is.  It’ll be fine.”  
  
“No, it _won’t_ , they’re going to—!”  
  
“Hey, _hey—_ I wouldn’t have sent my mate on a suicide mission, I need him, remember?  And…” Sam shrugged as he turned the TV on.  “Gabe's probably changed since the last time you saw him.  His priorities are different now, you know?”  
  
It took some coaxing, but eventually Cas backed down and collapsed in defeat.  “If we end up on our own because our mates have drowned one another, I’m going to be extremely upset with you.”  
  
“Understandable,” Sam agreed and handed Cas the remote.  “Pick something out.  If we hear screaming, we’ll swoop in and play lifeguard.”  
  
\--------------------------------  
  
“So Dean-o!”  Gabriel wasn’t subdue in making his presence known.  “I thought we had a mutual understanding.  The whole ‘no breaking my little bro’s heart’ thing—it works both ways.  _You’re_ doing a lovely job, going back on this pact!”  
  
Dean jerked up at attention while the other alpha stalked around the chair he was still sprawled out on by the pool.  With narrowed eyes, watching Gabriel drag the nearest seat even closer, he snapped, “Mind your own business.”  
  
“Don’t think I can do that, sport.”  He chuckled wryly and pointed his finger.  “See, you’ve got control issues.  And they stem so much deeper than I initially thought.  Ignoring the fact that you hired me to spy on Sam, and leaving the past in the past, you think that you can control the future in the worst way.  By not having one.  How does _that_ make any sense?”  
  
Gabriel pressed on, “And I mean it.  The whole, not having a future, thing.  Because my brother loves you so fucking much, it hurts.  I remember getting a call when you two first met.  I remember his struggle with the fact that he’d found an _alpha_ that made his heart go pitter-patter.  And how scared but excited he was.  I remember needing to stay docked in a random, backwater town for _three_ fucking _months_ , just so I could be on call for Cas.  Why, you may ask?”  
  
Yes, Gabriel was using his pure-bred alpha intimation and coming at this asshat with his favorite strategy: Offensive is the Best Defense.  Or, whatever.  The point was, he had Dean cornered, and this story was exactly what he needed to hear.   
  
"Cas was out of his element, I was on the phone with him any time I wasn't sleeping."  Gabriel leaned heavily on the arm of the chair, speaking bluntly to a wide-eyed Dean.  “Cas wanted to tell me all about the courting, ask me questions he never thought he’d have, and to gush about every moment you two spent together.  I had never met you.  But I knew you made my brother happy.  So goddamn happy, that it didn’t matter who you were.  Except right now?  If you can’t get your head out of your ass and realize this is about you and your mate, _not_ the rest of the world—you might not have _him_ anymore.”  
  
Dean’s mouth opened and closed countless times, he had so many false starts, but the first thing that came to mind was, “He told you?  About...us?”  
  
“Oo, buddy!  In _vivid_ color.  See—Cas had the same reservations Sam had when it came to being with an alpha.  It wasn’t on his to-do list.  But life happens, you can’t change who you love.  Cas, having not planned on mating an alpha, probably sure as shit wasn’t planning on a pup.  And what’s our dilemma here today?” Gabriel waited, seeing if Dean would work with him, just a little, and helpfully fill in the blank.  
  
“He never told me,” the alpha gruffly answered, “and I didn’t want to hurt him.”  
  
“How about you take my advice.  Start thinking about you two.  Only you and Cas— _that’s_ what matters.  It makes things a helluva lot easier when the rest of the world is blocked out, not even an afterthought.  Trust me.”  Gabriel popped back up to his feet and crossed his arms.  “At the end of the day, it’s about your mate.  The ‘evil out there’ doesn’t get a say in the _good_ that happens between you.  I don’t care what’s scarred you for life, _Cas_ didn’t do anything.  Hell, he’s the one standing between you, protecting and sheltering you, from the shitty world you’re so afraid of.  He always has been, and you know it.”  
  
As Gabriel was walking away, he parted with the words, “I think you owe this person who changed their entire life’s course—all for you—a little more.  That’s why I’m thankful for Sam every goddamn second.  I’d give that kid anything.”  
  
With a smirk, Gabriel was thoroughly satisfied and didn’t need to say anything else.  
  
The explosive scents lighting up around Dean served as proof he’d done a damn good job.  Sometimes it took someone with a behind-the-scenes eye, paired with a similar situation, to rip back the curtain and reveal another truth.  
  
The honest truth.  
  
Gabriel was positive Dean now knew the facts and the weight of the situation before him.  And he was happy to go tell Sam that there was a breakthrough.  With that news, they were bound to get a good night sleep.  Hopefully, Cas would, too.


	12. Chapter Eleven

Sam was pretty sure that he woke himself up with a grunt, his head wrapped around one hell of a hangover.  He should have expected.  It had been so damn long since he drank like this, he wasn’t twenty-one anymore, he had completely forgotten about the repercussions.  Then again, this could be one of the last morning-afters he’d suffer through because of a... _different kind_ of hiatus.  
  
When Sam looked at it that way, maybe the pounding headache and the faraway nausea was...manageable.  So much so, that he found himself in higher spirits than he felt sick.  
  
He reached out blindly for his alpha, and ended up hearing a distinct ‘ _thawk_ ’ followed by a, “—the hell?”  That’s when Sam realized he’d totally smacked Gabriel in the face.  Quickly rearranging himself, he took the time to open his eyes, gather the alpha in his arms the second he found him, and bumble out an apology.  
  
“Shit, sorry, Gabe.  That ‘good morning’ sucked, huh?”  Sam pecked a kiss to his cheek and chuckled at the indignant glare zeroed in on him.  “C’mon, it was an accident."  He coughed away the dryness in his throat, hoarsely saying, "God, I feel like crap, how are you doing?”  
  
“Same,” Gabriel agreed, but then his eyebrows furrowed up on his forehead when he sniffed the air.  “Is that...bacon?”  
  
The idea a homemade breakfast was cooking—specifically, bacon—actually made Sam’s stomach growl.  He perked up and tried to see if his nose could detect it, too.  It may take a little time, Gabriel's sense had always been sharper than his own, medicated or not—  
  
Within moments, the wafting grew stronger, then the scent of pancakes mingled as they reached the room as well.  Even though at first, Sam was downright giddy at the prospect of food, a secondary realization hit his sluggish brain and resonated with the omega even more.  
  
Dean and Cas always cooked together.  Yes, _together_.  
  
Sam whipped around and stared at Gabriel in surprise.  His voice filled with awe when he said, “You fixed them.  You...got through to Dean.  How the hell...what did you do?!”  
  
Gabriel’s arms were crossed behind him, the grin spreading across his cheeks was straight-up devilish.  “Let’s just say I know a thing or two about stubborn Winchesters.  I _also_ know what it’s like to be head-over-heels for your omega, and it makes you walk a thin line between being protective and overbearing.  Oh.  And there was tough love involved.”  
  
Wonder colored Sam’s scent as shook his head.  “You’re amazing, you know that?”  He leaned down and captured his alpha’s lips in a lingering kiss.  “Let’s go see the fruits of your labor, huh?”  
  
“No morning blow—”  
  
“No,” Sam admonished.  “Not here, not _ever_.  Jesus, we’ve only been away from the hotel for a night!  Keep it in your pants for another couple hours.”  
  
Okay, Sam couldn’t deny that Gabriel’s pout was adorable as he groaned in a pathetic attempt to haul his ass out of bed.  “Fine, fine!  Be that way.”  
  
If only to tease him, Sam twisted his fingers in the hair at the nape of Gabriel’s neck, promising, “Only a couple hours,” and kissed him hard.  Sam eagerly licked into his mouth with a filthy seduction, the alpha’s hands shooting up to grab him.  
  
However, Sam was stealthy—the omega dodged Gabriel’s grappling, ducking away and sliding to his feet—gracefully making a smooth escape.  Sam pulled on his shirt while victoriously enjoying his mate’s dropped jaw.    
  
Gabriel promptly slammed his mouth shut, and his desire was replaced by a low, frustrated snarl.  “You little shit…” the alpha sprung up, following him—which was precisely as Sam had planned.  
  
He tossed Gabriel’s jeans at his head.  “Bacon, remember?”  
  
With a punctuated groan, the alpha admitted defeat.  “I hate you just as much as I love you.  Let’s get a move on before I do something drastic.”  
  
“Deal.”  
  
\--------------------------  
  
As soon as they trudged down the halls and into the kitchen, both Sam and Gabriel paused in the doorway to gaze upon the domestic scene.  It was like nothing had happened last night.  Nothing life-changing or relationship-altering.  No fighting, no making up _or_ breaking up.  Nada.  
  
Dean and Cas were ducking and dodging around each other, playfully interacting with a slap on the ass or a stolen kiss, and Sam truly couldn’t have prayed for things to be this good so soon.  It was only a matter of time before Dean glanced back and noticed them gawking in the doorway.  He rolled his eyes, flagging them inside.  
  
“Hey, I got some blueberry pancakes ready!  Dig in before they get cold.”  The alpha was all smiles as he flipped them onto two plates, offering them forward.  
  
Gabriel didn’t bat an eye, he went about snatching them up—grabbing a fork, knife and dove for the bottle of syrup.  
  
Sam was a bit more hesitant.  
  
He sat down slowly, trying to gain Cas’ attention.  The way they'd left things last night after their heart-to-heart...well, he’d been a wreck.  Sam needed to see if the other omega was keeping it together for everyone else’s benefit, or if he—  
  
When Castiel looped around for his turn and used a spatula to serve up the meat, Sam was shocked to see everything was utterly genuine.  “I know that Gabriel probably wants more than you do, Sam.  Unless you’re looking for a greasy hangover cure?  I can fry up the entire package, if you'd like.”  
  
“This is perfect, thank you.”  Now that his worry had vanished, Sam was able to confidently turn back to his breakfast and dig in.  
  
Soon, Cas and Dean joined with their own full plates.  
  
With his cheeks stuff full like a barbarian (per usual), Dean was barely understood through food, “Glad we all slept in today.  Surprised you managed, Sammy!”  
  
“Heh, it was a long and...pretty exhausting night.”  He carefully selected his words, unsure what would trigger the downfall of the safe haven.  Sam had no idea how strongly built or collapsible their surroundings were.  “You’re right, though.  I was surprised I slept in this late, too.  The truth is, ever since we hit the water, time lost meaning.  It’s so damn weird, it used to rule my life and now I don’t even look at clocks.  Since I got back, I've had to because of appointments, but other than that,” he ended his thought with a shrug.  
  
It was true, plugging in an alarm had been an adjustment when he met with Missouri.  Having an alarm at all, hell, having a _phone_ again was a huge change.  Sam knew, in the meantime, he would need it, but knowing he could live without it?  Was freeing.  He'd lived on both ends of the spectrum, known the essence of both extremes, and the omega had to say: in the end—technology was a burden.  
  
“Wow.  I wish I had that luxury,” Dean swallowed down the pancakes and gestured to Gabriel with his fork.  “I dunno if that’s a bad influences or a good one—makin’ Sam chill the fuck out.”  
  
“Positive, is my vote,” Cas helpfully supplied.  “When you let go of constraints, even something as important as time, the freedom would negate anything harmful.  I’d love to know what that’s like.”  
  
“Well, it’ll be turning around soon.  Hopefully soon.”  This time it was Gabriel who interjected and elbowed Sam in the side, “‘Cause if we don’t watch the time, who the hell knows when—” he stopped abruptly and awkwardly, because—oh... _that's right_.  
  
Maybe chatting about Sam’s heat over breakfast wasn't polite or appropriate conversation...but more so, the hot topic of pups was even _worse_.  No one knew where anything actually stood!  
  
Gabriel fumbled through his correction—normally, he was an excellent liar, but last night had rattled them all—eventually, blubbering, “Because, uh, who the hell knows when we’d make it to port?  On our next trip?  If we don't _watch the time_.  Don’t wanna beach my girl, or anything, ya know.”  
  
“You don’t need to edit yourself for our benefit, Gabriel.”  Cas stared him down with those laser-focused eyes that made him squirm.  “I understand, you're alluding to Sam conceiving your future child.  Dean and I spoke last night, and we came to a decision about us.  One we’re both quite happy with.”  
  
Sam was tight-chested with hope when he asked a squeaked, “Really?”  
  
“Yes, _really_.”  Dean dropped his fork and exchanged it for Cas’ hand.  “We’ve got a, uh, three-year plan.  I’m gonna look into a different precinct, one that’s not a hotbed for twenty-four-seven high-crime.  You already know this, Sammy, but when I started—I wanted to be here to make a change, catch bad guys, hustle and fight the good fight, that's why I picked this zip code.  But, as you know...it’s taken a toll, and my life's taken a different route, too.  I’ll let the youngsters handle it, I’m getting too old for this shit.”    
  
Castiel picked up where his mate left off.  “The move won’t be far, it will simply place us into a safer neighborhood, a nice location in the suburbs with enough distance for the transfer.  So we can build a better life there.  Where Dean can handle petty theft and misdemeanors—rather than shoot-outs with drug cartels and human trafficking rings.”  
  
“It’ll be a nice change of pace.  Not having to be on guard every damn day.  Not worrying Cas that I’ll come back in a body-bag,” Dean said it so carelessly, but that was how he handled things, it didn't make it less true.  “Once we’ve got our new home, I’m settled into my new job…” he paused, watching Cas with love in his eyes, and prompting him.  
  
It took the omega a second to catch on, but when he did: Cas proudly announced, “Oh—!  Then we’ll be ready to start a family.”  
  
“Holy hell, you guys.  This is amazing!” Sam exclaimed and reached across to pat his brother on his back.  “You deserve it.  God, you _both_ do.  You’ve paid your dues, you’ve already saved so many people, Dean and—”  
  
“And Cas has always been the one protecting me from the evil outside in the world,” Dean watched Gabriel with a significant, meaningful expression and gave him a nod of acknowledgment.  “He’s taken care of me, and, uh, I’ve been a coward.  It _should_ only be about us, it should’ve all along.  About our intent to create more of that good.”  
  
Sam’s heart was filled to the brim with joy for his family, he knew he was probably choking them on his scent, but he couldn’t help it!  His alpha noticed and squeezed his knee in support, while sipping the orange juice set out on the table.  
  
“That’s about the best damn thing I’ll hear all day,” Gabriel decided with a grin.  “We’ll have some little tikes running around together.  Getting the chance to be BFF's.  Charlie braiding hair left and right.  Doesn’t get better than that, right?”  
  
“It’s wonderful,” Cas confirmed, leaning against Dean.  
  
Both Gabriel and Sam knew something this monumental was meant to be shared with the mated pair and the mated pair alone.  They finished the rest of their breakfasts, chatted about their future plans which involved their slightly extended honeymoon and then one last adventure on the open sea, and bid their brothers a good day.  
  
The excitement about Dean and Cas’ future was palpable, and God, they meant it when they said the pair deserve it.  In fact, it was the understatement of the century, and the timing couldn’t be better.  Sam was still puzzled, trying to figure out how Gabriel got through to his brother: but he was grateful.  
  
Above anything else, he wanted Dean and Cas to have the same luck, the same happy ending that Sam had found with his own mate.  It sure looked like that wish of his was coming true.  
  
\-------------------------------  
  
Their time inland together was slowly drawing to a close, both Sam and Gabriel knew it, and the preparations had begun.    
  
They'd done this dance before, while counting down to mate.  It was important to Sam's body a break, not wearing him out—not yet, at least.  It was a difficult line to walk, a harder task to master (what was too much, both felt it was never enough) since they still felt that infatuation—like only yesterday they mated.  
  
Their claims had healed, but the magic didn't vanish when the wounds turned to scars...it was only beginning.  
  
One night, after speaking about their future—a topic that quickly inspired making love—they laid side by side and soaked in every moment of simply being together.  Although there were things Sam wanted to speak about in more detail, he was pretty damn breathless and working to fix that.    
  
Plus, Gabriel's continued grazing of his fingertips along Sam’s skin made him shiver, made him hum happily into the touch.  
  
Sam had never experienced love, had never been more wanted and he was finally accepting that, dammit, _he deserved it._  That might be the most monumental gift Gabriel had given him: self-love and his renewed belief in himself.  
  
“What’s the next step?” Sam whispered, keeping just enough distance to read all the signals on Gabriel’s expression, coupled with the nuances in his scent.  “After my heat, if everything works out, what do _you_ want, Gabe?”  
  
“You mean _when_ it works out,” he corrected smugly.  “You _do_ want to cruise while we can—hop back on the ocean?  Make one last trip, while I’m selfish with my exclusive All Access Pass?  Getting the privilege of watching you change and grow with our baby, day by day?   _Or_ do you want to stay here, close to your family?  Switch the hotel for a place of our own.  Get a house—”

That startled Sam out of his previous, relaxed and contented state, and he asked with disbelief, “Gabe… _no way_ , you’d ever leave your Amphitrite.  Not when you have the chance to—”

“Once again, I think you’re underestimating just how much I fucking love _you_ , kiddo.”  His eyes were soft and Gabriel left himself open and raw when he said, “I made peace with the fact we can't raise an infant on the high sea.  No way it’d be safe, what—with the long travel, the port towns, all those unknowns.  Also!”  He raised a finger, “I wouldn’t feel good about our pup’s safety until they could swim like a fish, _and_  they've earned a friggin black-belt in karate.  Just in case.  Another bonus, is knowing enough language catch-phrases so they can get themselves outta trouble—'cause our kid?  Is gonna find it _somewhere_.”

Sam wasn’t startled anymore, he was shocked.  Absolutely, completely and outright shocked.

“But…that wouldn’t be until they were at least, I don’t know—double digits?  You’d think about leaving your entire life behind?”  Much like his body, Sam’s voice was quaking.

“ _Think_ about?”  Gabriel clucked his tongue and corrected him as he cupped his cheek.  “My choice was already _made_.  When you lit up thinking about a family?  I didn’t hesitate.  All I wanted was to give you one.  No way in hell you’d _ask_ me to do it, so I made the choice for you.  We raise our little one firmly on the soil.  See how speedy they are to check off my prerequisites.  Got a feeling with your brains and my good looks?  They’ll be ahead of the curve.”

“This is crazy, this isn’t right, this is—”  The omega was terrified his mate would come to resent him, even if Gabriel _hadn’t_ asked him to make this choice for him, he'd—

“ _We’re_ crazy.  _We’re_ right.  Don’t think too hard, Sammy.  Think about our future,” he left a lingering kiss on Sam’s forehead that radiated warmth, "the one that's smack-dab in front of us, now."

It shot directly to his heart.  “We’ll hit the water again for as long as we can?”

Gabriel’s glow was vibrant as it met Sam’s and they both quickly agreed to follow through, that was a fantastic idea.  One last hurrah, allowing them to be selfish with each other.  Allowing Gabriel to dote on Sam as he wished to...while the omega sneakily inserted ideas of baby-proofing the yacht.

“All right!  Maybe while we wait for _the week_ we can get a jump-start on packing.  And you brainstorm where you wanna head, babe.  I’m all yours.”  The alpha was tender, but the excitement was so real.  
  
Except, Sam had slightly different plans.  
  
“Hey, this is _your_ last hurrah.  For a bit, at least.  I want you to pick where you want to go, Gabriel.  Take me someplace beautiful.  Someplace you love, that you want to show me.  Or somewhere you want to be.”  The conviction and power behind Sam’s words made the alpha's heart soar from his passion and devotion to making them both happy.  
  
“Okay…” Gabriel decided slowly.  “I’ll come up with a map.  A game plan.  A round trip lasting seven or eight months to make damn sure you’re back here, with time to spare.”  
  
“See?” Sam raised an eyebrow.  “So much easier when you make the calls.  This is your expertise, you know how the timing would work, what routes make sense _and_ when we’d be arriving back.”  
  
After a brief pause that included Sam chewing on his lip, he said, “You know...I’d want to stay out as long as we could—if it doesn’t happen right away.  We don’t have to come back here until we’ve got a reason: a pup.  I wanna keep living our lives together out on the ocean, no matter how my heat turns out.  It’s like Cas said—it’s freedom.”  
  
“Goddammit, _how_ are you so perfect?” Gabriel groaned and gathered Sam into his arms, holding him tightly.  “Deal!  But Sammy, I think freedom is us, together, taking on whatever’s in front of us.  I feel invincible when I’m with you— _that’s_ what freedom feels like.  It feels more real than my girl, and it's something we can have...anywhere.  Please, don't get it into your head that out on the ocean is the only place _I'm_ gonna, or _we're_ gonna, ever feel liberated.”  
  
Those words caused Sam to pause, to truly take them in and analyze them.  Maybe Sam  _was_ putting too much stock into the ship, funneling his emotions into something tangible, so he could fully understand what they had and what he gained.  
  
...Yeah—freedom _was_ with Gabriel.  
  
Of course, his alpha had proved him wrong—in a wondrous way—and opened his eyes again.  
  
“You’re always right,” Sam laughed aloud, extending his neck in order to reach Gabriel’s.  With a lungful of happy-alpha, his heart skipped a beat and he sighed. “You’re always everything I need—”  
  
“Now yer just making me blush,” Gabriel tried to steer clear of the showered compliments and roll his eyes.  “Hey—I think we have a very, _very_ happy future ahead of us.  And I’m gonna enjoy every friggin second of our last hurrah, because our trip together will be exactly that.  One hell of a trip.  Just like the first.  I don't know if you know this, babe, but when you were off, seeing the world?  I somehow managed to win a prize along the way.  First place fucking rocks,” he announced with a grin that transformed into a brilliant, beam of a smile.   
  
“Yeah?  I’m pretty sure I won first place, _and_ I had fate hide my true mate from me.  Hell, I went head to head against Fate and kicked its ass,” the omega mused and abruptly scoffed, thinking about everything they’d been through.  “You know, I’m thinking it was a team event.  We jumped the hurdles.  You helped me fight through the darkness and somehow we wound up here…at the beginning of another 'something amazing.'”  
  
Gabriel snickered and kissed Sam’s forehead.  “It’s basically a triathlon versus the bitch of destiny.  This time next week?  I’m pretty damn positive we’ll be starting the next leg of the course, Sammy.  And there's no way we can lose.”  
  
The omega pulled away, just enough to lock eyes and witness the unwavering confidence, desire and intent dancing with the gold hues Sam constantly found himself lost in.  Gabriel could tell so many stories through his eyes alone, and this particular tale ended with the happiest of segues (not endings) that shined a light on the way onto their new chapter.  
  
“I like those odds,” Sam resolutely decided, then playfully (just for his mate’s benefit) added in, “You know, while I’m still physically _capable_ of doing some jogging.  You'll have to carry the team, 'cause it won’t be that way forever.”  
  
“ _Hell yes_.  I love you,” Gabriel said with reverie and couldn’t keep his hands to himself.  “Even though I’m not allowed to wear you out...yet...you better prepare yourself for me taking advantage once I get that green light.”  
  
Sam couldn't help the purred, “We’ve got our whole lives to wear each other out.  And _I’m_ planning on taking advantage of that.”  
  
“Oh yeah?”  With a wild grin, Gabriel confirmed beyond a shadow of a doubt, “Now _that_ , my beautiful omega, is true freedom.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope y'all enjoyed reading this fic as much as I loved writing it! I would be _thrilled_ to hear what you thought of the journey :)
> 
> **Plus** , if you want more? There will be more! I've got the beginnings of the sequel already written out, and the majority outlined and plotted! ...Whenever I promise things will be 'coming soon,' I jinx myself and take forever to do it lol so instead—I'll promise it's in the works! The more interest, the more kicks in the ass I get to work on it, the sooner I'll jump on it and get it done!
> 
> Love you guys so much and THANK YOU for reading! xoxo


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